


Blood in the Water

by FandomDojo



Series: Atlantean Lena AU [2]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Dark Lena Luthor, Endgame Alex Danvers/Lena Luthor, Endgame Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor, F/F, Lena Luthor Needs a Hug, Lena Luthor-centric, Protective Lena Luthor, Vigilante Lena Luthor
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-02
Updated: 2020-01-20
Packaged: 2020-11-15 12:26:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 32,424
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20866208
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FandomDojo/pseuds/FandomDojo
Summary: Lena thought that figuring out who has been talking to her in her brief comatose state would fill her with a sense of gratitude and appreciation. Never would she have thought that it would bring along a dreadful revelation. Now, Lena must be willing to step up and be what her city needs in the place of their hero while also protecting her home from the sins of the surface. But for that to be achieved, she must become something that she’s grown to hate.A hero.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'm back with part 2! Just in time for the spooky month too!  
Now this is a bit long and I promise all chapter won't be as long as this but I didn't feel right not mentioning all these as I did. They're important for later and so I wanted to make the first chapter a good one.
> 
> Have you been excited about this or Nah?
> 
> By the way, if you're new to this and haven't read part1, I highly encourage you to do so although I'll try not to make the story dependant on the previous part but I'll have to mention things from it anyway.
> 
> Have fun reading, everyone!

Returning to Atlantis had been a mending experience to Lena's troubled mind and worn body. In water bluer than any ocean was the kingdom, hidden from the world and functioning separately from the society above. High hills of rock frame the land, shielding the city from outsider's view but providing a welcoming sensation to those who belong.

The water moved softly around her outstretched fingers, caressing coolly and gently carrying her body to the tides of the depths. Lena could hear them calling her home from afar, back to the land where she belongs, within her people where she would be accepted as any other.

As she floats a few inches above the ground, she is met with welcome greetings from those who she longs to be around in a place where she can finally rest herself, body and soul. Lena finally allowed herself to be free from the strain of her previous life and begin a new one.

Lena took her time exploring the kingdom, unlike last time where she had limited the experience she would receive by staying inside. This time, Lena explored a new side of the culture every day. She would go outside and wander, following the tide into a corner of the land and she would observe and learn.

It had been a long time since Lena felt any form of positive emotion but that had soon changed by simply standing in the middle of a busy street where people passed her as she was a nobody. They didn't know her here, not formally anyway. When she goes alone, Lena was merely a normal citizen just like the rest of them. She didn't have a reputation to keep, nor a burden to shoulder. Here, Lena could just exist.

When she walked amongst the people, they smiled in polite greeting and rush away to keep up with the day. The rising crowd has a life of its own, bright clothes shine in the morning light and the people move fluidly around each other like a shoal of fish. It brings a small smile to Lena's face. There is a continuous chatter around, buyers negotiating with merchants, old friends catching up and new ones being made. It is busy and loud for sure, but it brings Lena such joy that she was sure she has not felt in a long time.

Each person in the crowd moves in predictable ways, each of them has a goal to achieve for the day. In this place, she could be anyone, or perhaps she could be no one. She slips into the crowd; she would not trade this anonymity for anything. Sometimes she engages with them in a conversation, just to see how they'd react to her. Although she expects it, she is never ready for the warm tones, chirpy smiles and wide grins that meets her. She is still far too guarded but with time, her walls lower to embrace this new way of life.

Lena had finally felt as if she belonged and she had never wanted to leave.

But just like every good thing that has ever come into Lena's life, it never stays that way for long.

A fleeting thought kept circling in Lena's mind before she had arrived in Atlantis which only intensified as she settled into the kingdom. Who had spoken to her to prevent her from succumbing to death? Naturally, Lena wanted to know and so, she had reached out to Arthur once again for clarification and the two siblings had set out on a journey to a hidden sea, an ocean in the center of the earth where a colossal sentient sea creature, and one of the oldest and most powerful beings on earth resided.

Succeeding the hidden sea and way past the trench, Lena learns that this is where her mother lived after leaving her, but she doesn't get much time to look around as a large presence looms behind the siblings. Orm decided not to tag along as the creature that lives here greatly dislikes him but Arthur on the other hand, had become a very trusted associate to the Karathen. As Aquaman is now Atlantis' monarch, the Karathen now serves him and is a loyal ally of his.

'So, you've come.'

Lena turns around sharply and her eyes widen at the sight before her, the sheer size of the creature is enough to make a person recoil in fear, but Lena simply froze with her mouth slightly parted. Was this monster really behind the voice that encouraged her to keep on living? This monster was the voice that encouraged her rid the world of her own brother.

Thoughts raced in Lena's mind. Numerous questions were at the tip of her tongue and ready to be spoken but Lena couldn't. She simply stared with a pale face at the huge eyes that investigated hers. Arthur, sensing the rising tension, had announced the reason for their visit and have asked the question that mattered most on Lena's behalf.

"Were you the one who had spoken to Lena telepathically during her time in the ocean?"

Arthur had spoken aloud despite the connection they share with the creature being a telepathic one. The question was answered with a 'yes' by a somber feminine voice. So, they didn't come all the way down here for nothing, that was good to know but there remains the question of why. Why would this ancient creature tell her to save this world? What exactly is she saving it from? Her thoughts were heard loud and clear by the Karathen.

'You, like your brothers, have a duty to protect Atlantis' The creature shifted slightly, causing a ripple to wash over the siblings. 'the surface dwellers have been becoming bolder, greedier and more starved for power and money that they do not care for the destruction left in their trail.' The Karathen explained. 'You must put them in line before the Ocean Master prepares to wage another war for the way they are using the ocean.'

Lena thought that figuring out who has been talking to her in her brief comatose state would fill her with a sense of gratitude and appreciation. Never would she have thought that it would bring along a dreadful revelation. So, her fate is to keep atoning for everyone else's sins? Was a lifetime of it not enough? Her hands clenched into fists and her gaze looked firmly below, not accepting the words.

"Why me?"

'You have influence on the surface.' Was the Karathen's response. 'You possess power that has the potential to surpass even Arthur's.'

"I don't want to go back to the surface."

'You must.' The Karathen said. 'If you want to save Atlantis and the surface from the dark fate that awaits them.'

And so, the two left soon after and headed home after they had agreed to keep what they've learned to themselves. There was no need for everyone else to know what will happen to Atlantis should Lena decide not to interfere but no longer than a week later, the subject was brought up again by the two and Lena had undertook Atlantean training under Arthur incase of any threat looming.

This had been two years ago. Now, Lena sits in an Atlantean pod watching the sea creatures swimming by. She takes a deep breath and sighs as the destination grows closer. It's been so long since she's been to the surface. She wonders what has changed and what remains the same, surely two years is enough time for some changes to occur, major or slight.

Lena has certainly gone through some changes herself. Gone was any soft curves that remain in her body along with the soft and delicate hands that she had spent fortunes on and instead, Lena's body is well-built with a taut and tight frame, muscular biceps and thighs, wider shoulders and calloused hands. Atlantean training had proved to be much more challenging than DEO training. Lena looks down at her palms and frowns as she traces the pads of her fingers, veins trailed from the back of her hand, down to the apex of her wrist trailed off into her forearms. Wielding a trident had done wonders on her hands and arms. One of her legs start bouncing anxiously as her golden eyes were fixated on the screen where it says the location is less than a kilometer away. She would have to leave the pod somewhere and continue her journey swimming soon.

When Lena walks out the water, she forgets how unpleasant it is to rid herself from the fluids in her lungs. It takes her a moment to stop herself from heaving water and stopping her eyes from watering at the slightest breeze before she looks up and looks for the building she had gazed upon before her leave.

There it is, the big and bright L sits proudly on the side of the building. She wonders if a certain blonde Luthor had adapted her older sibling's habit of staying up late for work. Next, Lena looks off to the side where a perfectly fine beach house was, and the corner of her mouth perked up. Tess had fixed it after Lena had destroyed most of it. She was slightly surprised to see some slight additions to the house, such as a small shed, she'd have to check that out later. For now, she must find a towel and a change of clothes or else she'd have to wander the streets completely drenched.

…

Lena had returned to National City. She had returned to the same streets in the same city. To the same stores and to the same people yet everything looked so different. It was foolish of her to imagine that even one thing would remain the same in her absence. There was no one to welcome Lena back so she wandered the streets with her head down to avoid any onlooking gazes, there is no need for the people of National City to be aware of the Luthor's return.

Clutching the leather jacket that had been left for her closer, Lena adjusted the sunglasses that were perched on her nose. It was late at night, yet no one cared to question why someone would wear sunglasses so late. Back then, Lena would immediately be spotted by the lurking media, she finds that the hole of her departure has long healed. Lena was no longer a part of the natural flow of this city, she was long forgotten.

"Time to pay my little sister a visit." Lena whispered to herself as she stared at the huge logo of her company just a few blocks away.

It was strange being here after so long, despite how long she'd been away, Lena still remembered everything about this place. The little potted plants in every corner, the hidden cameras embedded in the walls. The backdoors that only she knew about, they were there as a quick escape option should she be targeted at Lcorp, Lena would leave through those doors as to not make a scene in public and in front of her employees.

Lena was pleased that her memory served her well, these doors led straight to the panic room in her office. She didn't want to be noticed by the public so this was the perfect way to go up the building, even if it meant she would have to climb all those flights of stairs. Her legs were perfectly capable of maintaining her stamina as she calmly walked.

The door to the room was silently opened and Lena stepped inside, a wave of nostalgia washed over her as she took in the sight. The décor did not change much, it was still as plain and as devoid of color as ever but there was still hints of personal touches scattered around. Fashion magazines were strewn atop the couch, coats hung over a single chair to the side and various shoes could be seen from underneath the desk.

Her eyes trailed up the desk where the office chair was facing away from her. The huge glass windows reflected just enough for Lena to see that the younger blonde was gazing at the city with a glass of wine just as Lena used to do a couple of years ago. She smiled lightly and crossed her arms before coughing to grab the blonde's attention.

Maybe she forgot what it was like to have someone enter her office silently like this, but she was totally shocked to see the blonde's reaction. Tess had spun around in the chair and immediately pulled out a gun with a determined expression. Lena uncrossed her arms and put them up for the blonde to see that she was no threat and she couldn't help but smile wider at the look of recognition in those green eyes.

"Is that a way to greet your older sister?" Lena teased after a moment of silence.

"You, asshole!" The gun was dropped, and Lena's eyes trailed after it for a second before pulling her attention to the blonde. Tess reached down and Lena expected her to retrieve the fallen weapon, but she was delighted to see the crutches that now supported the girl's movement as she pulled herself off the chair. "I almost killed you!"

"But you didn't." Lena shrugged and walked forward to meet Tess halfway and pulled the girl into a hug. When she pulled away, Lena grasped the elbows of her sister to look at her in astonishment. "You can walk!"

"I can!" Tess grinned giddily. "It's a recent development." She added.

"I see." Lena mirrored the grin. "Was mother a part of it?"

Tess nodded and adjusted her grip on the crutches. "Yes, she only had been supervising the process since she can't use her doctor's degree anymore." She said before furrowing her eyebrows. "You look different."

While the blonde sat back down on her chair, Lena stood to its side and looked out the window. Tess kicked the pile of shoes underneath the desk in an effort to hide them from the dark-haired woman's view. Lena simply said. "I am different."

"Why did you decide to come back now?" Tess asked curiously. "Is something wrong?"

"There's plenty of things that are wrong with this city, Tess." Lena spoke solemnly. There are plenty of things that are wrong with this world. "I only came back to do what I must to protect my home."

"Um," Tess looked confused. "I don't understand."

"I'll explain later." Lena waved off and shifted her attention back to her sister. "In the meantime, how have you been all this time?"

"Well first," The blonde started. "I hate your job." She said bluntly and Lena couldn't help but to burst out laughing.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The new episode inspired me. Have fun reading!

National City had changed way more than Lena thought it had. Since her return, she had been spending most of her time in her old office with Tess to catch up on the things she'd missed in her absence regarding Lcorp and the city. She would sit on the couch and observe the blonde as she goes through paperwork or handle calls. Lena was glad she had decided to trust her with the company instead of selling it off like CatCo. The media company had been sold for a hefty price to an old friend of Lena's and now it's been doing way better than it ever had.

The tv propped on the wall was fixated on the same channel since her return, Lena was invested in the news and what has become of this city since her leave and she must say that, she was very displeased with what's been happening.

There was nothing that Lena would count as new though, corporations have been growing rapidly and providing massive economic growth but not considering the negative impact they leave on the environment. So, this is what the Karathen has been speaking about, Lena thought. Pollution had been a plague on Atlantis for a very long time, but the sudden rise has had the Ocean Master enraged.

However, the news that had Lena feel a jolt of shock at hearing was the disappearance of the city's beloved Super. It's been over a year without any single sighting of the hero and crimes had been steadily rising ever since until now where the numbers have spiked dangerously. It seems like petty thieves reveled in knowing that there was no one enforcing justice in the city. Police forces were not enough and now National City's crimes had risen to meet Gotham's.

Lena's leg bounced rapidly as she tapped on her phone's screen, there was no news of the Super's death, only speculation and that had been shut down by none other than ace reporter Kara Danvers herself. Lena scoffed and tossed the device to the side where it bounced lightly on the seat. The Kryptonian was alive and well, yet she neglects her duties as the defender of this city. Lena always knew that no hero would truly care about the world more than themselves.

Seeing the action before her, Tess looked up from the paper she's been reading to raise an eyebrow at Lena, silently asking for an explanation. "Why isn't Supergirl out there protecting the city?" Lena asked and crossed her arms.

"She used to do it irregularly after you left, but one day she just… stopped." Tess answered with a shrug, retrieving the next page on the pile to her right. "No one knows why she doesn't show up anymore, but it was kind of easy to see it happen. She stopped talking to people she saves, she stopped saving people with a smile and she doesn't even try to stop criminals with some dumb speech either." Lena frowned. "It's obvious why she's no longer around. She doesn't want to be a hero."

"That's just great." Lena huffed quietly. Not only does she have to find a way to stop entitled white men from killing the planet, but she must do it amidst criminals crawling in the night. This is not the circumstances Lena thought she'd have to deal with. "So, no other entitled hero has risen in her place?"

"Nope." Tess said simply. "This city is fucked."

"This is not going to work." Lena leaned back in her seat and pursed her lips. "Something has to be done."

"Why do you care anyway?" Tess asked with a raised eyebrow. "These people have done nothing to you other than make you suffer, make us suffer." She stated. "I personally don't care if their heroes had left them."

"That's the thing. I don't care either, but I do care about Atlantis and the people there." Lena shook her head. "And if things here stay the way they are, Orm will lead an army to the surface to wage a war! I can't let that happen."

"What the fuck does your brother want?" Tess asked bluntly. "We have enough going on here."

. The older Luthor sighed and rested her head back on the couch, when Lena and Arthur arrived back in Atlantis, they had intended to leave what the Karathen had said a secret. They did not want to cause unnecessary drama or panic when nothing is confirmed. But when they found Orm seething in rage inside the meeting room a week later, Lena had no other choice but to accept the fate that awaits her.

The Atlantean monitors show footage of the latest news on the surface and Orm has his gaze fixated on the screens. He is observing the chaos and the lack of humanity the surface dwellers are showing. Lena and Arthur approach quietly and while Lena sits at a chair, Arthur walks up behind his brother.

"It's as if the world has fallen in love with their insanity!" Orm shouts as he pounds on the surface in front of him. "This is outrageous, I will not stand by and let them do this!"

"Orm," Arthur calmly says. "There is no need for this-"

"NO!" Orm turns sharply and glares at Arthur in the eyes. "I cannot stand by and hear the innocent voices of our people scream while these tormentors laugh through all of it!" He stresses his point by throwing his arm back to display the running footage behind him. " They show no remorse or forgiveness from all I've seen." He lowers his arms and stares down his elder brother. "This degradation I cannot forget."

It seems that these two have had this conversation before judging from Arthur's reaction. He remains silent with a tired look in his eyes and a helpless expression as Orm lists the ways the surface has been affecting their people. "These human predators all gone mad; they are reaping profits born from their demise!" Arthur doesn't reply, he knows it is true. Though Arthur lives under the sea, he knows of the surface and how it operates.

"Their rabid media plays their role in stoking the flames of war to no surprise." Orm shakes his head in disgust before turning away from the older man. "They're only too eager to sell their souls, for the apocalypse they bring must be televised."

"We cannot wage a war on the surface, Orm." Arthur finally speaks. "The odds are not in our favor."

"The odds will forever be in our favor!" Orm growls. "We can raise the ocean and drown them all! We can unleash the trench on them and let them become their prey! We can stop this humiliation we are living in; our home is not their trash bin." He did not give his brother time to reply and instead, he continued. "You of all people should know the power we possess, you wield Atlan's trident after all." He growls in anger. "And yet, you let your subjects suffer because you sympathize with the filthy surface dwellers."

"I once was a surface dweller." Arthur said lowly and dangerously. He always had a hunch that Orm still never fully accepts that a half breed like him rules Atlantis despite the people welcoming him.

Orm pauses before his face shifts to distaste. "Perhaps you still are."

"This is enough, Orm!" Arthur shouts, losing his patience. "We will not engage in a war with the surface. That is final!" He watches as Orm looks at him with such fury, but Arthur doesn't back down from his decision and he is aware that Orm knows he cannot defy his king unless he wants to be executed.

Lena watches helplessly as Orm steps very closely to Arthur and seethes lowly. "When the humans go too far and our people start to suffer because of your weakness, because of your foolishness, you will wish that you have done something to stop them instead of letting them walk all over us." But then Lena's stomach sinks as Orm chuckles humorlessly. "Maybe if you had used your connections with their so-called heroes to demand a change instead of playing around then maybe there would be no need for war in the first place."

"I do not go 'play around', Orm." Arthur states grimly. His part in the Justice League was a constant thing that was brought up in these arguments, there will not be a conversation they hold without Orm spitting a remark about how Arthur gives all he has to answer their worthless calls of help without answering his own people's.

"Of course not," Orm stiffly replied and stepped away. "You go help save their homes and let them destroy your own." He turned around to face the monitors once more. "You can pretend that you do good, but we both know you are not. Their battles are not our own." He reaches for the helmet that completed his armor and placed it on his head. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I must go clean up a mess that you made once again."

Lena's hands clenched in her lap, she hated that everything Orm had said was true, she hated knowing that the only way to stop this once for all is to stop it herself. Lena didn't want to be caught up in the middle of this, but she also didn't want a war to break out when the solution to their problem is staring them in the face. Her eyes closed and her fists unclenched in defeat, she must go back to surface to prevent this.

When Lena finally opened her eyes and looked back up, Arthur was looking at her silently. He knew what she was thinking, and he wanted to say no, he wanted to keep her here among their family where she would be safe away from all the pain and horror above. But he knew there was no other choice now. Their gazes met and Lena dejectedly nodded her head. She would go back to the surface.

. Lena finally returned her gaze to the blonde and shrugged. "Oh, he and Arthur had this very big fight about this." Lena rolled her eyes. "He didn't back down on it, but he did agree to hold off on it for a year to see if I could pull off some changes." Lena explained. "But what's happening is very inconvenient, things need to change if we want to avoid starting a war."

Tess was not impressed. "Why don't you become the new hero of the city." She chuckled sarcastically and went back to her paperwork. She had said it as a joke, really. But she raised her head in suspicion when the only reply she received was silence. Lena was looking off to the side, looking like she was seriously considering the suggestion. "you're not seriously considering this, are you?" Lena didn't reply. "Oh my god, you are. Stop that."

"Who else is going to do it?" Lena asked with a raised eyebrow. "Do you have any other brilliant suggestions?" She asked sarcastically.

"How about I come over there and slap you?" Tess said. "Stop being a fool or I'm throwing my shoe at your head."

Lena rolled her eyes and stood up, she walked over to the small bar where she knew all the alcohol was stored. She poured scotch into a glass and silently swirled it in the cup while she stared at her reflection in the amber liquid. "Am I really being a fool?" She asked, not really expecting a reply. "This seems like a good time for a drink." She took a sip but remained in her place. "With a cold, calculated speech with sinister overtones. To make you see why this is actually the most brilliant idea you've come up with." Lena continued. "A speech about politics, about order, heroes and power. But speeches are made to inspire change, to motivate or persuade. Now is not the time for that." Lena turned around to catch Tess' gaze. She gulped down the rest of her drink in one go and took a deep breath. "Now, is the time for action."

Tess had not been expecting that and so, she asked the first thing that came to mind. "And what will you do when the authorities or even Supergirl come up against you? You're a Luthor."

"I am not your typical Luthor, nor do I answer to anybody, Super or authority." She said. "I am the smartest and strongest of all." Lena stated with a sinister smile. "When anyone comes up against me, I will put them down." Lena placed the cup on the tray beside her. "Just look at what happened to Lex. He had tried to assassinate my ass, so I cast him out with the trash." Lena was aware of how her words sounded but she added one last thing, just to be crystal clear. "He never cared about how it affected me or if it had hurt,"

"Anyone opposing me is perilous and purged."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Man do I love angst.  
More Atlantis flashbacks and some Lena and Tess interaction featuring Dark Lena.  
I left a dot at the beginning and end of the flashback to indicate it, I wasn't sure if they confused anyone in the last chapter of WoW but I wanted it to be clearer just in case.  
Tell me what you think so far, y'all like dark Lena? You'll get to see how she became that sinister soon enough with more flashbacks.
> 
> I'll see you in the next chapter!
> 
> Tumblr @fandomdojo


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My brain was dead when I wrote this so I apologize in advance if it sucks.

Lena wakes as if it's an emergency, as if sleep is dangerous and threatening. Sleep and waking up is no longer the pleasure it once was but there is a fleeting moment of blankness where Lena feels whole before it completely evaporates and Lena is left incomplete once again. She rouses from a heavy slumber and she's first aware of the cool air that surrounds the room and she briefly remembers that she is no longer under the sea, no longer in Atlantis, and she wishes that she could still be dreaming.

Her clothes feel damp as she fully awakens, and she starts to recall the fragments of her dream. She has these flashes, scenes, where she isn't sure if they have been created from her imagination or if they are a reality set to come soon. These bizarre dreams are hers alone, she never speaks of them to anyone, she never thinks long about them but during the time where they are fresh in her mind, Lena feels more alone than ever.

She often wrestles at night with the dark and the light, trying to find comfort in either, she often loses those battles and she has become accustomed to sleepless nights where she solaces in her thoughts and memories of the past. She wishes there could be a way for her to go back. Back to the time where she was blissfully unaware of what lies ahead, perhaps if she had let go of the truth that one time, she would've still retained some of the parts she lost. But the past is gone and now the present is fast approaching. Lena remains sleepless during her quest, how unfortunate.

Pushing the sheets away, Lena's body is submerged in cold air and she shivers as goosebumps start to scatter on her bare arms. Shuffling out of bed, Lena walks around the room on the pads of her feet to avoid the freezing tiles underneath. Lena gets dressed in the dark, not bothering to turn on any lights. She faintly wishes that the lack of light would hide the disgusting scars that litter her body.

The door opens and she leaves the room into the lit hallway, her eyes squint, not quite adjusted to the brightness. She moves through the apartment to the living room where an island separated the room from the kitchen. Lena paused just as she closed the door at the sight of Tess perched atop the table, cross legged and quietly sitting with a bowl in her lap.

"Um, what are you doing up there?" Lena asked, voice scratchy and laced with drowsiness.

Tess looked at her for a few seconds, a pause falling over the conversation as Lena strode forward. She shrugged and moved a spoonful of cereal to her mouth. "I live here, I can sit wherever I want."

Lena's eyebrows furrowed in confusion before she figured out the source of the nonchalant attitude and her eyebrows raised in amusement. "Yeah, sure." The corner of her lips curled up. "So, where's the spider?"

"Somewhere around the fridge." Tess said sulked as Lena snorted and moved to grab a tissue.

"You're welcome." Lena said simply after throwing a crumbled napkin, with a small spider inside, into the bin. She sat herself down on one of the chairs and watched as Tess slid down to the floor and grabbed the heels that were no doubt abandoned there in fear of the spider. "You're up early."

Tess hummed. "Well, some of us have a job to go to." She made a show of looking at the disheveled state Lena was in. The older Luthor was in bright red sweatpants, a black t-shirt and mismatched socks with her hair in a messy bun. She probably shouldn't dress in the dark anymore.

"You wanted my job." Lena rolled her eyes. "Stop complaining."

Tess reached for the blazer that had been laid neatly on the table with a huff. It was true, she wanted this job, she liked it but that doesn't mean she can't complain about it. "So, do you have anything to do today other than being a jobless deadbeat?"

Lena's mouth fell open, the audacity. "I'll have you know that I still own the company you work in. I still am your boss." She defended. "I can have you demoted to the mailroom if I wanted."

"But you won't." Tess smirked.

"I won't." Lena replied. "But I'm seriously thinking about it."

"Whatever." Tess snorted, raising to walk out. "Are you not doing anything today?"

"If you must know." Lena scoffed. "I'm going to Gotham today. There's some things I need to discuss with an old friend."

Tess paused at the door to raise her eyebrows at Lena with a grin. "You have friends?"

"Go. Or else you'll be as 'jobless' as I am." Lena threatened mockingly at the burst of laughter that got cut off by the sound of the door slamming shut. She could hear the padding of footsteps getting further and Lena's upturned smile diminished. It was nice to spend time with Tess; she liked the banter they always seem to fall back on when they have conversations.

But as soon as they stop, Lena is reminded that she has a purpose for being here that she must start preparing for. Her head turns to look out the huge windows across the room and she remembers why she accepted this purpose in the first place. This city is spiraling, it is dying and soon enough, the rest of the world will follow.

She was the only one who had the means of salvaging the city. Heroes do nothing but make the situation worse, she found. Hope doesn't fix people and how they behave, if change was to be demanded, actions must follow.

This city's problem is the people who thrive on the city's death. The people who gain by taking from others and profit from their planet's demise. But Lena won't allow this to go on. Even if it means delving deeper into the darkness within herself and letting the monster that lurked in the back of her mind out into the world.

As she drove, Lena's eyes flitted to the passenger's seat where a pile of shredded clothes laid with a small stack of papers above it. Her eyes now a vibrant green, hidden behind contact lenses that she had bought online recently, her expression turned sour promptly before her gaze turned back to keep a look on the passing streets. Gotham wasn't a long distance away from National City, but it certainly took a few hours to get there.

Gotham was a dark city. It was a city of criminals and thugs, drenched in chaos and dread. Lena knew why it had taken such a steep descend. The loss of their so -called hero had been celebrated by those who lurked in the dark. The loss of the most significant person in the city had left a hole in their economy. Lena mourned Bruce, she really did, but his presence as Batman did nothing but hurt Gotham further. She didn't know where he had gone but she knew a new caped vigilante would soon arise in his place.

She was right, of course. But that doesn't mean she wanted to be. Lena hummed thoughtfully at the headlines of a screen on a nearby building. Batwoman is the new dark knight of Gotham, it seems. Kate had changed so much when Lena found her, Lena knew that with the disappearance of her cousin, she would take on the role of Gotham's protector herself but she would need an associate that would provide her with the high tech and the signature bat suit. And that is why Lena was here.

Greetings were exchanged, it was mostly Kate asking questions about why Lena would come back now, to Gotham no less. To which Lena smoothly replied. "You have been taking up some recent nightly activities that I'm interested in." To say Kate was surprised would be an understatement. Though she didn't ask why the sudden interest. Perhaps she was still wondering how Lena figured out hers and her cousin's nightly hobby. "I know Bruce made his own suits, but you didn't, I need to know who made it for you."

"Why would I be giving you that information, Lena?" Kate asked with a raised eyebrow and a small smirk. "This is a family thing after all, it doesn't seem right to include others."

"I'm hurt to know that you don't consider me family after all we've been through." Lena retorted with a similar smile. "I thought we were closer than that."

"But you've already got your family back together." Kate spoke. "I've seen the news when you've disappeared, you've found another Luthor to the company." Lena didn't offer a reply, so Kate continued. "I could make an exception if you'd introduce me to her." She ended her proposal with a wink.

Lena chuckled and shook her head. "You stay away from her, you hear me?"

"Aw, is this the part where you tell me that you'll kill me if I hurt your sister?" Kate asked in amusement.

"Oh, no." Lena's smile widened and locked her gaze onto Kate's. "My sister is quite capable of killing you herself." She found it funny to see Kate's green eyes widen in surprise. "So, are you helping me or not, Kane?"

"Sure." Kate accepted and invited her into her house and Lena noticed that she picked up her phone to call someone. "We're going to the Batcave for this."

Luke Fox was the person who was called to make her a suit. Lena learned that he also does his own share of being a vigilante under the same crest as Kate, under the same crest as Bruce. Batwing he called himself, Lena thought their names were a bit unoriginal but that's not her business, she only cared about whether this Luke would be able to handle Atlantean tech.

Lena came into Gotham with the remnants of the suit she was given a long time ago by Winn, now unwearable and worn down. And she brought with her blueprints of the new suit she'd like to get. Designed to be a representation of her heritage while keeping its identity hidden. She waited patiently for Luke to finish reading her notes.

His eyebrows shot up to his hairline as he read that she required kinetic energy to move through the suit. "Wow, this is advanced stuff!" He muttered and Lena kept quiet. It was simply a precaution. She was pretty strong on her own and she had more than enough powers to keep herself safe but being prepared never hurts anyone.

Other than that, the design wasn't that interesting at first glance. Lena wanted to interpret the look of scales that Arthur had in his own suit, though it wouldn't be as obvious as his due to her wanting it black with a green tint. Any additional details served no issue, other than the mask that is.

"Are you sure this is what you want your mask to look like?" Luke asked uncertainty. "It's a bit, too scary."

"Yes. Can you do this?" Lena asked. "I would normally do this on my own, but you have experience doing this and I don't have the time to experiment on my own."

"Of course." Luke huffed. "It won't take long to make actually. You're welcome to stay and help make it the way you want, or you could leave it to me, and It'll reach you soon."

"I'll stay." Lena confirmed. The day has reached its end by the time the two were done. The suit looked amazing and worked better than Lena thought it would. She's left the Batcave with regards to Luke, thanking him for accepting her request especially at such absurd timing. But the suit is now complete, and replacements would be sent to her in the upcoming days.

Lena sat on the hood of her car in the outskirts of the city, in the middle of the night and stared at the material which was packed neatly into a small bag. She reached into it and pulled out the mask that was tucked inside. Luke called it scary, but she didn't see what he meant. She admits that its… unusual, but it wasn't meaningless.

The trench were the inspiration behind her mask. Lena had more than one encounter with the savages of the sea. They were the reason her older suit is now unusable, torn and tattered. But she'd beaten them into submission. It wasn't a pretty sight, nor a fair fight, but the trench was now under her command. A feat that even Arthur was unable of accomplishing. Arthur always resorted to communicating thoughtfully with the creatures of the sea, but the trench were no ordinary creatures. And they could not be communicated with. They feared her, so they served her.

She slipped the mask on and took a deep breath, basking in the feeling of… power… that it made her feel. Her golden eyes shined through the eyes of the mask; she knew that it would undoubtedly be terrifying to witness, especially in the dark.

The vermin that lurk in the corners of National City will either surrender or they will be counted with the endless masses that Lena has defeated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so, Lena has a suit now and the actual stuff will start in the next chapter.  
I haven't watched Batwoman so if you see that something was incorrect while Lena was in Gotham, just ignore it lol. I really didn't know what I was doing.  
I'll see you guys in the next chapter!
> 
> Tumblr @fandomdojo


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I forgot that I write on Mondays and I had to hurry to write this and finish it on time. Or else I'll be behind on my assignments lol. This is gonna have Lena's first night as a vigilante and a little hint on what Lena's planning to do with the time span she was given by Orm.

While everyone sleeps soundly in their bends at night, a dark body perches on the top of Lcorp's building. Lingering. Waiting. Observing a shadow moving about in a comfortable office. Clutching a cellphone to their ear while sipping merrily on a glass of wine. Unaware and unsuspecting. Just as she imagined they'd be.

After her return to National City last night, Lena had finally finished putting together her plan of action. Thought carefully, to the littlest detail, considering every factor and their outcome. Now Lena awaits to start the first step of her plan. Lena had a mental list of actions to take and to whom. Tonight, was the night she starts to execute them.

The first casualty was a rotten man. His influence over the city was extensive. His business thrived on the suffering of the citizens and the need for his services. Lena knew his kind, vile and horrid, he didn't pretend to be anything else than he was. He offers what the people need and dangles it out of their reach, he simply waits for desperation to overcome his clients, so they go to him. Lena was glad she hadn't associated her company with his. He knew how the game worked but he juices it till it's no longer moral.

Being rich, it was easy. There are only two steps to take to ensure the money you desire in a business. First, offer your workers money with a sense of power, treat them as if what they think matters, as if what they say is heard and done, you'll often find that they sell their morals for such low prices. Second, keep the little people -the clients and buyers- distracted with greed and vanity. It was so simple, scare them with news, offer them a salvation to their misery. Oh, how simple it is indeed. As the game comes to an end, all the money in the world would end up in the hands of just a few.

It didn't matter to him nor others like him if children starved or died. Adults are too distracted with survival to ask questions, to demand and work for change. The young too defiant to listen to frustrated and angry adults. Why would they want to fix the earlier generation's faults? Why should they have to? The earth would perish due to global warming, the economy is ruined. But that wouldn't matter, no. For he is rich.

He would sit in an air-conditioned palace with billions worth of gold lying at his feet while billions worth of souls starved and waged wars over scraps and simple humane rights. He knows that a simple change of his ways would cause a significant change but no, it was too much fun to see the world crumble and burn. Were these people going to tell him 'no'? Hardly. It was already too late for the world to find their moral compasses, let alone operate by them in time to save themselves.

But he was wrong. One person will rise to tell him 'no'. And he would have no choice but to accept, or else his game would be over. The moment he refuses to change, his grave would be dug. And so, Lena moves with precision. Lena can't fly, but she does have her own set of powers to help her mobility. Her hands clutch at her side and instantaneously a long stream of water wraps around her arm. She prepares herself for a head start before jumping off the roof and swinging her arm to extend the liquid where it splashes over to the closest building before freezing on the tip, keeping her suspended in the air. Pulling herself up, she repeats this until she is directly above the balcony of her target.

She waits until he hangs up the phone, his face gazing at the city with his back to her and she jumps down silently. The thud of her boots silenced by landing on the tip of her toes and crouching slightly to absorb the impact which caused a small gleam to run up her body and disappear into the suit. Lena stands still and waits for him to turn around. The transparent eyes of her mask illuminated in the dark by the inner glow of her eyes. Moonlight shines through the clouds briefly, revealing the green tint in her black suit.

The man finishes his drink and turns around to return inside his office, only to be stopped at the sight in front of him. His glass slips from his hand and crashes to the ground where the glass sprinkles to a thousand pieces at their feet. She sees him gasp and step backwards only to be reminded that he has no more room to move. Lena advances slowly. Her head cocks slightly as she takes in his panicked state.

Hands clutching the railing as his eyes widen at the advancement. He regains his composure after a second and yells. "Who are you and what are you doing on my property!" Lena sees his fingers moving to unlock his phone by his side and she promptly pulls it away to throw it behind her. "What do you want?!"

"Seth Lester," Lena's voice is deep and robotic due to device she has stuck in the mask. Which made her gaze even more terrifying. "I've heard about you." She takes another step closer, aware of his rapidly growing terror. "I know how you like to run your company. I know how you do not care about how destructive it can be."

"Yeah? So what?" He askes with a sneer. "You think you have any say in how I run my business?"

Lena's eyes narrow and she takes another step forward. She's now uncomfortably close to Lester. She can see how he swallows thickly but never falters his expression. "Your business is poisoning economy; it is ruining hundreds of thousands of people's lives." She speaks darkly. "But after tonight, that will be no longer the case. Do you understand?"

He laughs at the words. At the mere thought of letting go of a single penny in his fortune. This psychopath must be delusional to think that he'd be willing to listen to the demands of a crazy masked person. "And tell me, why will I do that?" He asks mockingly and, in a flash, his collar was grabbed, and his body was shoved to lean over the balcony. His eyes looked down at the street below, over 50 stories and he was about to drop all the way down had it not been for the firm hands clutching his shirt.

"Are you crazy?!" Lester screams, grabbing Lena's arms to prevent himself from falling. "Stop! Stop!"

"Why should I spare a man like you?" Lena moved forward so his upper body along with his waist is completely over the edge. "What have you got to excuse your actions?"

Lester was no longer listening to her by now. His eyes were locked on the pavement below and his body was shaking heavily. His grip is getting impossibly tighter, knuckles turning white at the tension. And Lena still awaits an answer. "Please!"

"What's your alibi?" Lena pulls on his shirt to revert his gaze back to hers and she could clearly see the fear in his unfocused eyes.

"I don't deserve this!" He begs. "Don't kill me!"

"What's your alibi?!" Lena's voice gets louder and she accompanies it with a jerk to snap him out of his frenzy.

"I'm sorry, okay?!" He shrieks. "I'm sorry!"

"What's your alibi?!" Lena stresses one last time.

"Please, I have a family!" A choked sob leaves his throat and he is surprised to feel himself pulled back into the balcony. His knees crumble beneath him and his body is still shaking uncontrollably. He looks at the masked figure taking a step back and Lester immediately rises to his feet in anger. "What the fuck was that-" He wasn't able to finish his sentence as a heavy boot slammed into the middle of his chest, releasing a burst of green radiance that flung him back and over the railing.

Lena watched with a hard gaze as the body got smaller and smaller, turning away just before it hit the ground. So, the first night out had ended with a corpse after all. She'd tried to give him a chance to change but he threw every chance he was given away. People like this never change willingly, you had to prompt a change but sometimes the prompting doesn't work and all you have to do is eliminate them all together.

There is no time to sit around hoping for change.

This is the way Lena has been going around every night for the past month now. Choosing well known, high-profile business owners like Seth Lester and demanding a change in their systems. Most of them resisted, their money too important and that had caused an inevitable death that occurred by Lena's hand. Some had relented and accepted Lena's terms in order for them to live, She threatens that she will come back when change isn't recognized but otherwise, Lena returns home those nights with a sense of relief that she didn't have to lay a death sentence upon someone.

By now, Lena's presence has been picked up due to the CEO's who had gone to the authorities as soon as the night was gone. No one saw her other than her targets but everyone in the city knows of her, but people are still looking.

Looking for the dark vigilante that looms in the night and targets the rich and the wicked.

When Lena looks at the news now, she finally sees a change. Those who know she's coming for them change before she does to avoid a nightly visit. Those who refuse to adhere to the new rules get a fate shared among many others. Kicked off a balcony, a snapped neck, shattered ribs or frozen blood. The authorities were not pleased by her interference. But the authorities are incompetent and so she continues.

"You really did a number on them, huh?"

Tess voice pulls Lena's attention away from the screen of the tv where a reporter was covering yet another body found deceased in the morning. She hums in question.

"Everyone who's associated with a company that doesn't run by this 'vigilante's' orders are scared for their lives." Tess explained. "Should I be afraid to be next?" She teased.

"Of course not." Lena waved a hand. "Lcorp is one of the very few companies who actually strive to make a change."

"So, this is what you're gonna keep doing?" Tess asked curiously from her desk. "Just wearing a scary costume, running around and bullying people to do what you want?"

"Well," Lena looked at the blonde. "Yes, but also no." She said. "bullying rich people into doing what's best for the environment and economy is the first step." She explained.

"We are rich people, Lena." Tess deadpanned.

"There are two kinds of rich people, Tess." Lena stated. "The people who worked hard to earn their money and the people who get it by preventing the less fortunate from having it."

"And?" Tess furrowed her eyebrows. "You're forcing both to give it away anyway."

"Yes, but I'm doing that to weed out those who do it illegally, those who delve into crime and deal with criminals." Lena looked back to the tv screen and nudged her chin towards it. "Listen to what she says." Lena paused so the voice of the reporter could be heard clearly, stating the facts that Lena wanted her to before she muted it and turned back to the blonde. "Crimes are higher than ever, but I have no interest in petty thieves and shoplifters. No, what I'm interested in is a different story and I can't find them without doing this."

"Wow, big plans then." Tess was slightly impressed. "And I'm assuming you won't come back to the company since you're so busy?"

Lena shook her head in mock disappointment. "I thought you were smarter than this, Tess." Lena looked at the eyebrow raised in offense. "If I announce my return now, so close to the time when this vigilante appears, even the dumbest person on earth will be able to figure out who it is!"

"Oh yeah, that's true." Tess agreed reluctantly.

"Soon, this city will change, and the world will follow." Lena said absentmindedly. "Otherwise, the entire planet will drown and perish." She had less than a year to make a difference. A few sacrifices along the way are a must if they wanted to make it to the next year.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hoped you liked this chapter, I was kind of rushed and didn't put much thought into it as I would have liked but it's not too bad I guess.   
For those who are curious, no I don't have a vigilante name for Lena yet though I'd like it if you made my life easier and gave me some suggestions.  
Also, for her suit, I did design something for it. I'll draw it out or something and post it on Tumblr if I have time to do it (Or if it turns out decent)
> 
> Anyway, tell me what you think. The actual fights are coming soon. And so are the Danvers' ;)
> 
> Tumblr @fandomdojo


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A new chapter once again!  
Ok, I've had my fun writing Lena going around being a vigilante for two chapters. I know you're all excited to see when and how the Danvers' are going to come across Lena. One of them will come after this chapter.  
But for now, It's just Lena encountering bad guys. Some action will come soon after.

Nearly two months have passed since Lena's return to the surface and ten months remain before Orm makes a move. Time was running and Lena had to keep up. It wasn't enough to scare the rich for change, no, it is time to move on to the other side of the chain. The singles have been put in place for now but the ones who lurk in the shadows move as a collective. It was hard to find the source of these organizations for there is usually more than one leader. But Lena has finally found a lead.

All it took was to confront one person who works for an organization of that sort and loosen their lips and now, Lena knows where to go looking. Fear was it all it took for the rotten to assemble and plan their escape and to hide from her eyes. But Lena was one step ahead.

Lena lounges in a hallway wearing her suit and waiting for the perfect moment to enter. She may be starting to get known as the ruthless vigilante, but she still had some taste, it was rude to barge in on a meeting while it was still running. So, she waited for them to finish. She could hear negotiations inside. The greedy bastards proposing plans to get their precious money to safety.

Cops and authorities were too cowardly to foil these plans or to catch up to them. With no more heroes on the streets, they thought they were safe to do as they please but no, a new freak had to come up and foil their plans.

Lena's head perked up as the end of the agreement was placed and she slammed the door open to announce her arrival. A hidden smile forming on her face behind the mask she wore. Dozens of guns pointed her way and she continued to stroll forward with no care.

This was the first time anyone had been allowed to see her beyond the cover of darkness. Yet her she was, willingly entering a room full of criminals and cowardly rich people.

"Am I late to the meeting?" Lena drawled as she stood at the head of the table.

Stunned silence was all that fell upon the table, full of entitled rich men, mafia bosses and henchmen all surrounding the area. Lena's head cocked to the side awaiting a response. One man seemed to snap out of his shock to yell out. "You're that psycho vigilante who's been running around, aren't you?"

"Psycho seems too harsh of a word but yes, I am." Was all that Lena said. She could feel the increase of blood flowing through their veins as she spoke.

"Give me one good reason not to have my men blow your head off right this second!" Another demanded.

"A magic trick!" Lena sarcastically replied. "The first person to step out of their seat will die before they even fully stand up." She proposed. Apparently, only one person was dumb enough not to heed her warning and instead try to walk up to her in an attempt to fight and restrain her. The man only got to stand for a second before he fell to the ground and onto his face in a very rigid posture. Lena watched with a small shake of her head before looking back at the others. "Anyone would care for a second attempt?" Lena took the silence as a 'no' and sat herself down on the nearest chair. She pretended to dust herself off and looked to her right where an angry looking man was glaring at her. "Oh, Mr. O'Neill, I was going to pay you a visit tonight."

The words struck a nerve and O'Neill banged his fist on the table and jumped to his feet. Lena's eyes flashed dangerously as his body suddenly froze. "Sit." She growled.

Across from O'Neill's stupefied body, another man was looking up at him and helplessly shrugged. "Let's hear what they've got to say." Lena nodded in approval and loosened her hold.

"Yes. I've got plenty to say." Lena said absentmindedly as she waited for O'Neill to sit back down. She crossed her legs and rested on her hands on the table. "Let's go back a little in time for a bit more context here. A few years ago, these cops running around, lawyers, judges and attorneys wouldn't dare cross you. But what happened? Another caped self-proclaimed hero had suddenly appeared and started fighting with the government against you, that's why you had to move your comfortable work hours to night where it's less… obvious." Lena started. "But flashforward to now, a person like me-"

"You mean a freak." O'Neill spat out.

Lena paused to give him and his men the chance to chuckle at the retort. "A person like me is now the reason why you choose to have your little… group therapy sessions in broad daylight instead." She continued, not deterred in the slightest. "I know why you're all afraid of going out at night, why most of you have been taking drastic measures to avoid me." Lena's eyes trailed over every person in the room to make sure they're all listening. "With Supergirl no longer being National City's resident hero, Tinman and Dreamer prove to be useless alone. The only threat you currently have is me." She concluded. "But you could avoid getting kicked off a balcony pretty easily."

"What do you propose?"

"You see, I have no interest in you or what you do." Lena stated. "But your actions are killing this city and the consequences will be very severe"

"So, what? We're supposed to take orders from an eco-freak now?!" A random man in the back laughed loudly and Lena's demeanor suddenly changed.

"If you don't change the way you run your businesses now," She growled. "Soon, you wouldn't even have a life, much less a business to run."

"This is enough!" O'Neill shouted and once again stood to show his anger and dissatisfaction, but this time Lena had said what she had to say, and she had no reason to let him throw another temper tantrum.

A sharp icicle formed from the ground and pointed dangerously at the man's neck. "I see." Lena nodded to herself and stood up. "You're really going to make me have to force you into this aren't you?" The icicle elongated and plunged into the man's neck, alerting everyone in the room. All weapons were instantly pointing in her direction and she anticipated this type of reaction. Lena stood calmly as a barrage of bullets was thrown at her.

Lena waited for the attack to cease in confusion before she made her own move. The amount of gunfire that made contact with her suit was massive. Her skin was bulletproof, she was lucky for that, but her suit also absorbed the energy that any enemy would lay upon her. Lena punched the nearest person and it had enough power to snap their neck upon impact while everyone else found their feet frozen solid to the ground. She decided that letting them go to think about what they'd witnessed might change their mind.

She scoffed as everyone looked at her stunned. "You think you'll be able to stop me? Look at your primitive tools. It doesn't matter how much you shoot, I'm bulletproof." She rounded the corner of the table and grabbed the collar of a horrified looking businessman and directed his face to look at the others. "Don't be confused, gentlemen. There is a new person who will be setting the rules. And if you fail to recognize them," Her hands let go of the collar only to jab her fingers in a few pulse points to render him useless as he falls to the ground. "You will be either tossed aside like a sack of meat or you will be forced to bow down and respect them."

. Lena left with a promising threat and the very next day, a great wave crashed over the shores of National City along with the nearby cities, leaving in its traces stacks of human waste and garbage on the once beautiful beaches. Surely this would rouse the humans from their ignorance.

When Lena was faced with the reality that she must now be the one to change the surface, she was angry. Angry at her family for unknowingly putting such a fate upon her. Angry at Lex for being the nuisance he was throughout her entire life. Angry at humans for being so selfish and most importantly, angry at Orm for being so hardheaded and for refusing to see reason.

His unshakable decision meant that Lena would have to let go of the short life she had grown accustomed to in Atlantis in favor for a fate that could be avoided simply if Orm changed his mind. Now Lena has to train, everyday to prepare for what comes. She must endure more physical pain that she's ever endured, and she's had to face all of her demons at once.

"Am I really safe here, Orm?" Lena once asked. "I have not seen single moment of peace ever since I got here!"

"Lena," Orm pursed his lips and crossed his arms. "This is unacceptable, look at what they're doing to our homes."

"They don't even know of our existence!" Lena exclaimed.

"What difference will it make, they have no respect for their own territory, why would they ever respect others?" Orm demanded to know. Humans fight amongst themselves for petty and silly reasons. "They do not respect other races that live amongst them either. You think they'll be willing to tone down their actions because we simply ask?"

"We could negotiate!" Lena tried. "War should not be the first option."

"It is the only option we have if we want instant change."

"Change is never instant."

"Change is meant to be instant." Orm said firmly. "You cannot wait for people to agree that a change must be made. The planet is dying, and the humans are still struggling to simply agree that it is!" He steps forward and places his hands on her shoulders to lock their gazes. "I know what you think, I know that you must think of me as a monster for wanting vengeance." He said. "But you must understand that, this world has gone mad and what we must do is fight. Fight for what we believe." Lena's glare never wavers but she stays silent. "And we can't give up, if we want to keep what we love."

She was surprised, however, to feel herself get pulled into a tight hug. "I'm sorry to put such a burden on you, Lena, but you must understand that we cannot live for ourselves. We have a kingdom to care for." Lena's gaze falters and she frowns with trembling lips. "The fate of our future is now in your hands."

A long pause falls upon the siblings, where Lena just stands there with her face buried stubbornly in Orm's shoulder. "It's not fair." She finally says quietly.

"I know." Orm replies. "I hate that you must leave after you've finally come to us."

"I don't have to. We can find another way." She tries.

"No, Lena. We cannot." Orm pulls back with a frown. "I am willing to step down from my decision only if I see a change in the surface dweller's behavior. If you can prompt a change in them, then we can find another way to deal with them." He promised. "But for now, my decision remains."

"How long are you willing to wait?" Lena asked defeatedly.

"I'll give you a year." He stated. "I trust that it will be more than enough. Once the year passes and the humans make no attempt to make amends, I will gather my army and we will flood the surface."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope the scene with Orm cleared up some confusion about why Lena is doing things the way she currently is. She's getting anxious that time's running out so soon.  
I hope you liked this chapter, this is the last one before I bring up the others so just bare with me ok? lol.
> 
> Tell me what you think and I'll come back next week with an update!
> 
> Tumblr @fandomdojo


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm a day late to uploading this but it's done.  
I didn't have time to finish this yesterday because I had to do things in the morning and all night. I only had 3 hours to write so I postponed this to the next day instead.
> 
> This chapter is kind of boring but I think y'all might like it!  
Enjoy!

When Lena's role as Atlantis' 'savior' had been solidified, it didn't take long for the word to spread. Everyone knew of the surface's ignorance and how it had been affecting the kingdom. And now that a person would finally put a stop to it, the Atlanteans were ecstatic. Their homes would finally be safe from the waste that plagued the land, the creatures would no longer die from diseases caused by pollution and the water would no longer be diluted and filthy.

Lena couldn't refuse anymore. How could she? It was decided. She would go back to the surface to put a stop to this. But how? How could she do this? Who in their right mind would ever listen to a Luthor? Lena hadn't forgotten the treatment she used to have in the short time she was away. No one would listen to her as Lena Luthor. No one would care to consider her words, and no one would act according to them.

No, Lena needed to be someone who people would have to listen to. Hope and compassion were never her strongest suit, she would have a hard time convincing people to do the right thing. She would never be able to inspire change in such a short time. But she could prompt it, she could start to change the world herself.

She didn't know how the state of the surface was when she'd stepped on the ring of fire to be finally introduced to the kingdom. Lena stood tall as the platform moved to rise. She could hear Orm's voice above, building up the audience's expectations. She briefly looked at herself, clad in Atlantean armor, she was one of them. And she had to do what's best for them.

"This is time for war, and we won't be denied!" Orm's voice cuts through the loudness of the crowd. The audience was not just some town folk who have come to support their people. They were hungry for excitement and for justice to be laid. "This is our time; we will fight until their wills are broken." He says loudly before lowering his voice at the end. Lena had to admit, Orm knew exactly how to pull out the emotions he wanted from people. "We will show them our strength that just can't be denied. In this world… Only the strong will survive!" Feeling the small hairs on her arms stand as a chill passed through her body. "They will hear our roars and know we're alive. Because it's time!"

Lena's gaze had risen to look up at Orm's body. He had floated up above the platform in his excitement. His arms widen as his voice gets louder and more intense. The lights shine on the narrow and dark tunnel that she was standing in. Lena's eyes close for a second before opening to face the numerous faces around.

"We never hide, and we are never divided, they will witness the seven kingdoms move as one!" Orm speaks. She can see Arthur's face in the crowd, a solemn expression overtaking him. She knew he still did not approve but how could he refuse his people? "We will show no mercy! Let the world see that we are invincible. Show them that nothing is beyond our control."

With the platform now clicking into place, exposing Lena for all to see, Orm turns to look her in the eyes and points the trident in his hand at her. "Are you ready for the test of your life?!" He hollers as Lena's chin raises and her chest puffs. "You will see the fear bleed through their eyes." His arm pulls back as he throws the trident her way. "Feel our energy seep into your soul." Lena's hand reaches for the long handle that stands before her and unlatches the trident from the ground. "Because it is time!"

Lena's arm slowly lifts, trident in hand, she faces the people of her kingdom with determined eyes and a confident face. As her trident rises, so does the cheers of the crowd.

…

Below the rooftop where Lena perched, a street brawl was occurring. She could see two silhouettes running up to the criminals to try and stop them, but they were overwhelmed very quickly. Lena had just finished her nightly visits where she takes out her targets should they refuse cooperation and had run into this situation on her way back to Lcorp.

Lena doesn't engage in stopping petty thieves and amateur criminals, what use would be the police force be if she cleaned up every single bad situation for them? But she guessed this one was a particularly nasty fight since the DEO was involved.

Such a shame that their go-to caped hero wasn't offering their services anymore. Aliens were a lot harder to keep in check when you don't have a super powered one on your side.

Standing up, Lena's hand clenched twice in her hand and suddenly, a small cylindrical device projected into her palm which immediate grew at both ends to form a trident. Lena's eyes identified a target and she pulled her arm back, locked her gaze on the body and launched the weapon.

The battle below seemed to freeze immediately at the intervention. Dozens of eyes snapped to catch sight of the vigilante that stood above them. Lena gave them a second to recognize her mask before she jumped down in the middle of the street where her trident was attached to a now dead body.

"Riptide!"

That was the name she was given by the first media company that caught sight of her a few nights ago. Riptide. It wasn't that bad of a name, she had to admit but she wasn't here to announce her presence to the world. She was here to change how the world behaved, not to be recognized as a hero nor a villain. Her plan was to remain an anonymous vigilante up until the time she was given was up. She supposed her plan was already foiled and she'll have to live with that.

Lena faced the person who had shouted her name as she retrieved her trident from the dead criminal's chest. Her chin raised in disgust and she pointed her trident their way. "I don't want to hear you calling out my name." She said lowly and watched the looks of surprise on the nearby civilians faces. "I'm not here for stature or fame." She shook her head and lowered her weapon. "Instead, I fight knowing nobody knows my name."

Her words seemed to snap something out of the masked heroes that stood across the street. Dreamer and Guardian, she didn't know that these two were keeping up their hero duties now that Supergirl was no longer around. "You're a murderer!" Guardian shouted. "This is not the way we do things here!"

"The way you do things is useless!" Riptide taunted. "Cleaning up petty thefts while there are real dangers to deal with." She scoffed. "You think this is all a joke?"

"We do not kill." Guardian growled and Riptide laughed out loud.

"The problem with you surface dwellers, is the people who feed on your world's death." Lena reverted her trident back into her small portable cylinder. "But I've got a message for you." Lena was aware of the various smartphones pointed her way, so she faced them. "From the nation that cares about the fate of our planet to those who don't." She paused. "You're outnumbered."

"So, heed my warning." There was nothing else Lena needed to say. "Or else your entire world will be dominated and there will be no one that could save you then." She'd said what she wanted everyone to know and now she should leave them to think about her words. Now that her words were recorded and will most likely shared on tv stations and online, she didn't need to go around each night and repeat herself repeatedly.

She'd summoned water from a nearby fountain and walked to the building she'd jumped of and raised her arm to pull herself back up, but she paused when she heard a familiar voice shout. "Do not let them escape at any cost!" And Lena mentally sighed. Shouldn't they be attending to the rest of the criminals that were thankfully caught while Riptide had her talk with Guardian?

Riptide swiped her arm and a sharp icy wall emerged to separate the Atlantean and everyone else. Lena quickly ran into an alley where she planned to escape the scene with no more prying eyes, but one stubborn agent had pointed an alien gun at Riptide's and shot.

The blast had enough power to make Lena feel as if the healed wounds on her back and chest had suddenly reopened but thankfully, she had enough time to hold herself up against the wall. She cursed quietly at the sound of a pair of boots running in her direction.

Her hand raised and she waited for whoever it was to reveal themselves before she encased their legs in ice. Breaths rapid and skin clammy with sweat, Lena glared in a haze. She shook her head to will the fuzziness in her eyes away, but it was too late.

Riptide's body slid down the brick wall just as a single DEO agent had entered the alley.

Thoughts raced in Lena's mind. She couldn't believe that she could get caught so easily. How would she get herself out of this now?

The mask was ripped away from Riptide's face head and Lena managed to catch sight of her captor before her eyes rolled over to the back of her head. Short, slicked back red hair, dark leather suit and heavy combat boots. Lena's eyebrow's twitched at the familiarity before her eyes completely closed.

Brown eyes widened and Alex's body froze in recognition. Lena was the vigilante? When did she even come back? Why did she suddenly decide to wear a mask and run around at night to kill and threaten people? What happened to her?

"Director Danvers, have you caught up to the vigilante?!"

Alex's hand shot up to the comms in her ear. Those who remained to do damage control back at the street were still waiting for her to report in after she ran off alone after the vigilante. Alex swallowed and looked at the entrance of the alley and then back at the young Luthor slumped on the wall. She knows she'll regret this as soon as she says it.

"No, Vasquez, they got away." Alex replied thickly. "Gather the team along with the prisoners and take them back to base."

"What about you, Director?"

"Don't worry about me." Alex said shortly. "Report back to base immediately." She ordered and cast her eyes on Lena's face once again. The mask that was still in her hand felt heavy, it was nothing more than a piece of fabric, but it seemed like it held so much weight that Alex didn't know she wanted to know where it came from.

"You have a lot of explaining to do, Lena." Alex growled quietly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cliffhanger ;).
> 
> What do you guys think of the Atlantis flashbacks? More or Less? I honestly like Orm a lot. But the superfriends are finally here!! Alex found out so soon, I know, but it's dramatic lmao.
> 
> OH, I HAVE TO ASK YOU SOMETHING IMPORTANT!!!  
How comfortable are you guys with sexual scenes? I'm not writing explicit smut or anything but I did make you guys wait for so long to get ships and now that Alex is here, and Kara will finally be mentioned in a couple of chapters too, I need to know how fast I should pace ships.  
Please tell me so I could consider everyone reading this, or if I should add/change tags or ratings.
> 
> That's all for now. See you next chapter :D!


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really thought I could distract you guys with the ships but no, y'all can't be fooled lmao.  
The reason I had Lena get caught so easily is mostly just me rushing to finish the chapter and upload or else I would have had to postpone it to the next week and I really didn't want to do that. But it wasn't a mistake, it was a happy accident lol.
> 
> Also, I didn't ask about the sexual scenes for ships... I asked for something else.   
Yes, ships are coming but I'm not rushing them so soon. I just needed to know how comfortable you guys are with this kind of thing for one particular scene I'm planning. (Hint: it's got to do with Kara and why she isn't around)

Golden eyes snap open as limbs jerk in shock. Cold air surrounds her, around her partially clothed body. Her suit had been shed, she noticed, from the waist up, all that covered her body is the bindings she wears when she suits up along with wrap bandages. Lena's eyes look around frantically. She tries to sit but shock zips through her back, causing her to gasp loudly and curl around herself sideways.

She coughs and wheezes, fist clutching at her chest. Sweat dripping down her temples. Her body feels hot, too hot. And it burns when she tries to breath. Her back feels like piping hot lava had poured all over it. She cursed the DEO for having advanced technology and she cursed herself for not having enough insight to avoid getting caught like this.

"I see you're awake."

Lena looks up heavily, she sees someone she didn't think she'd meet again so soon and her jaw clenches. In her frenzied state, Lena didn't pay much attention to her surroundings. She was laying in a bed. Covered with warm sheets and surrounded by pillows. She swallows thickly and glares up at Alex. Why did she take her back to her home instead of the DEO? Lena didn't voice her thoughts. Instead, she remained silent and waited for the director to speak again.

"Took you a while, huh?" Alex's face didn't match her voice. "I though the beam had actually killed you for a while there." She sounded… sad, disappointed, tired. "Or that it had put you in some sort of coma. It would've been a really bad situation for you." She looked at her with so much contempt. A flat gaze, void of emotions. She looked at her like some sort of criminal. Like a monster. Lena hated it.

"What are you doing, Lena?" Alex finally sighed after a long pause. "What happened to you?"

Lena didn't say anything. Thoughts were swirling in her mind, fighting to slip through her lips but she remained silent. She didn't have anything to say. She didn't know what to say. Lena wasn't prepared for this kind of confrontation. What approach should she take?

"How long have you been here?"

Her jaw clenched tightly before Lena finally opened her mouth to reply. "Why did you bring me here?" Voice thick and low, her throat was dry and scratchy.

"I needed to figure out what your deal was before I arrested you."

"What did you hit me with?" Lena's eyes refused to stay focused. Her vision blurs out every few minutes and she had a hard time keeping them open. Her head is dizzy, and she felt like she could pass out at any given moment.

"An alien gun that I found years ago." Lena's eyes noticed the holster on the director's hip. She had it on standby in case Lena tried something. "It's powerful enough to stun most beings. Even Kryptonians." Alex's head cocked to the side. "I'm guessing you're not doing too well right now?"

"You don't know what you're dealing with or getting yourself into," Lena paused. "Director."

"You've been killing people, Lena!" Alex exclaimed. "What's gotten into you?! This isn't you."

"You know nothing about me." Lena growled. She shakily pushed herself off the soft pillows below and swallowed thickly at the tremble that passed over her entire body. "I didn't want it to come to this." Lena says. "But I always knew that it would lead to the same thing as always."

She wished that she could get a break from all the suffering in her life. That she could find a place where she could call home, where she's free to live peacefully, without any responsibilities and without anything to be wary of. But she also knew that life would always come her way and take her back to the beginning. And sadly, it has only just begun.

It was only a matter of time before her life caught up to her and pulled her back to square one. She was fighting alone before the battle even started. She was desperately trying to scream into a calm void before a massive cold storm. She knew it would be a long and lonely road that she's taking. Yet, she couldn't help but look for something along the way. A light that would lead her home. A light that would over shine the darkness that constantly looms over her.

"I'm trying to do the right thing, I really am." Lena gritted her teeth. "And this is the only way I know how."

"The right thing? Lena, you're murdering people!"

Lena laughed. "How many people have you killed though, Director? You aren't that different from me." She said lowly. "The only difference between us is that you have a permit to kill. Who are you to decide what's right or wrong when you don't have all of the information?"

"Well then, indulge me with this information." Alex demanded. "What could be so important to you that would lead you to take people's lives?"

"The lives of those innocent people that will undoubtedly die in less than 10 months, Alex!" Lena yelled out in frustration. None of them knew about the threat, no one thinks about her words and Lena is so, so tired of repeating herself. She's tired of wasting her breath. "Don't you understand?! I've been saying this time and time again and no one listens!"

Alex is momentarily stunned at the outburst. Lena tries to push herself off the bed, but her arms shake, and she can barely move a few inches without jerking in pain.

"There is an army of Atlanteans who are eagerly waiting to flood the surface and murder every single being on the planet." Lena chokes out. "I can't let that happen, Alex. I can't." It would be so easy to her if she simply walked away from this life, from this destiny that was laid upon her. Once the attack comes, Lena would be safe. She would never be harmed.

But Lena has people she cares about on the surface. "For so long, I wanted to tear this whole world down myself." Lena growls. "But I could never let myself do that. I could never let myself be that selfish. I can't bring myself to walk away either because I have ties on the surface." Lena shakes her head. Tess is here, Lillian and Jess are here. And as much as she hated to admit it, those who she thought were her friends were also here. "How could I walk away?"

"I don't understand, Lena." Alex said in confusion. "What does that have with you killing innocent people?"

"If I could bring some sort of change to the surface before Orm gathers his armies, then I could convince him to stop his plan." She was finally able to push herself to her feet, but her knees slightly buckled under her weight. She wondered just how much damage this gun did. "And I'm finally getting there. There's only one more step to go through to ensure change will be made soon."

"And what's that?" Alex narrowed her eyes.

"You'll see soon enough."

"I can't let you do as you please." Alex stated. "You're not walking away from here."

"Are you going to stop me?" Lena looked her in the eyes.

"Do you want to find out?" Alex reached for her holster. "I suggest you sit down because I don't want to do this to you."

Lena's eyes lowered to the gun in the director's hand. She'd noticed the remaining pieces of her suit earlier. Thrown over the back of a chair. Her suit had was torn in the back, right where she felt the blast of the gun hitting. There was blood staining the edges and Lena knew not to make any hasty decisions so soon.

She walked closer to the redhead and stood right in front of her. "If you're going to do it. Do it quick." The widening of brown eyes didn't really shock Lena. She knew Alex wouldn't really shoot her knowing it was her. "End it right here, right now." She continued. "But keep in mind that when the time comes and everyone you know and love dies before your eyes, it would be your fault."

There was a falter in Alex's eyes, but her fingers twitched while pressing against the handle of the gun. "Because you can save them. I can save them." Lena said. "I know what you're thinking, I used to think the same way. But this is truly the only way." Lena's gaze dropped to the hand wrapping around the gun. "If there was another way, I would choose it in a heartbeat."

"I can't let you walk away, Lena." Alex shook her head.

"Then why aren't you doing anything to stop me?" Lena questioned and all she received was silence. "That's what I thought. Deep down you know that what I'm doing is necessary. You can see how much change it's already doing, don't you?"

Lena waited for Alex to say something. To either admit she's right or deny what both of them already know. But the redhead doesn't say anything. Lena scoffs after a few minutes and turns away to gather the remnants of her suit. She mentally rolls her eyes, this suit was hard to make, thank god she had a replacement delivered to her a few weeks ago.

As she clutched the fabric in her hands, she wondered what type of damage laid underneath the bandages on her body. Just another scar to add to many, she supposed.

"What will you do next, Lena?" Alex's voice is much quieter now.

Lena contemplated telling her, would it be that big of a deal to indulge one person? Lena slowly started putting her suit on. "A society cannot function when each man is taking their own justice, director."

"what?!" Alex voice raised in outrage. "Are you going to kill heroes and vigilantes now too?!"

"Oh no," Lena chuckled. "If you take down a hero, another will simply rise in their place." She picked up her mask and slipped it on her face. "I'm just going to make them… retire."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not super happy with this chapter, to be honest, dialogues are always a bit harder for me to write. That's why most of my writing is just descriptions. But it's gotten the point across. I know most of you were wondering how Lena was caught so easily. Alex isn't that good, she just had a good weapon lol and I wanted a reason for Lena to get some upgrades on her suit before the JL came around ;).
> 
> The next chapter will finally feature KARA and why tf she's been missing. Are y'all excited ;D? I know I am!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've beaten around the bush too much in this chapter but I'm really not that familiar with sexual(?) scenes that much but oh well.  
I hope you like it anyway!

Crying was always meant to be a healthy release, but for Kara it was now a habit. Lena left National City a few days ago because of her. She had pushed the one most important person to herself too far and now she's gone, and Kara didn't know when of if she'd ever come back.

Would Lena even want to listen to her? Would she let Kara explain?

Lena's departure was hard, not just for Kara, but for everyone of their friends. Alex felt as shocked and sad as she did when she had figured out, Nia and Brainy felt guilty even though they had nothing to be guilty for, which made Kara feel even worse. They were her friends, of course they would keep her secret, but Kara never considered that they would have to lie to keep it.

The first week, Kara had cried everyday until she had no more tears to shed. Her irises threaded with red and her eyelids heavy over her eyes. Her whole body felt limp and heavy and no amount of time under the sun or a sunlamp could make it better. The sun still shone above National City, but not for Kara. For Kara, there was no beauty left in National City, nor back in Midvale or Metropolis with Kal-El or even the fortress of solitude where the last bit of her home was.

Supergirl duties were draining and nauseous. She would fly by Lcorp and her head would swim with regrets. She would walk by Noonan's -her favorite restaurant once- but she would glimpse hers and Lena's usual table and her eyes would start dampening rapidly. She would catch a billboard with Lena's face on it and her heart would struggle to keep a steady beat.

She couldn't look at her phone's screen, even if it was just to see the time, because her lock screen has Lena's face -Lena's smile- pressed against hers. And she never had the heart to change it. No matter how many times Alex argued that she must. But Kara didn't WANT to change it. Kara didn't want to let Lena go. Not so easily.

But what could Kara do? Lena was nowhere she could access and that was saying something when she could literally fly around the entire globe if she wished. No, Lena was underneath the ocean. So deep where Kara couldn't possibly reach her.

And so, the days went on. Flying by without any recognition from the blonde. Kara laid in her bed most of the time, just staring outside the window. It was the only source of light inside the room. Her work phone often rings and that's one of the only instances where Kara drags herself out of bed.

She fights criminals and aliens without the passion she once had. She doesn't stay longer than she's needed, not to give a statement or to smile at the civilians she'd saved.

Her job as a reporter remained but she now works from home when she could. She doesn't partake in perusing any of the righteous stories, she just takes her assignment, writes it using her super speed then waits for another and repeats the same thing.

Her life was just a routine at this point, and she didn't have the energy nor the will to break it.

Alex was faring way better than Kara did. Kara knew Alex liked Lena more than a friend, but her feelings are new, and they haven't solidified unlike Kara's.

Kara figured out that she cared about Lena more than a friend too late. A little less than a year had passed before those feelings were acknowledged. And it was not a pleasant experience in the slightest.

It was a chilly wintery night, inky darkness that chilled even Supergirl's bones. It was momentarily followed by rattling attacks of lightning. Most villains would halt their plans when the weather was as difficult as this unless it is their doing. But mindless aliens have no regard for weather, their instincts too strong to fight and so a battle commenced in the middle of the city.

The strong flashes of pure energy thunder down hard on streetlamps and the cars around them, sometimes around certain buildings where Supergirl can hear the accelerated heart rates of the people inside. The noise along with the booms of electricity becomes so intense that it makes Supergirl feel the tremble inside her chest.

The fight was long and tedious, Supergirl landing a few repeated punches on the alien, causing enough damage for the alien to roar in rage and unexpectedly flip the tables of the fight. Grabbing Supergirl by her cape and slamming her on any hard surface it can reach. Kara never thought she could feel so much pain in such a short amount of time. There was no sun to help accelerate her powers and healing. She had to keep fighting until Alex and Brainy got here. Dreamer had done a great job at keeping civilians away from the alien's line of vision so far.

When Supergirl was finally able to beat the alien down to a state where it could be restrained, it proceeded to react by spitting a large amount of smelly slobber all over the Kryptonian. Kara gagged as the stench of the pheromones entered her nose and lungs, it made her dizzy and lightheaded. The cold weather, pouring rain mixing into the substance and seeping into suit. She shivered and briefly wondered if she's solar flaring again. It was a reoccurring thing nowadays now that Kara barely leaves her apartment and doesn't get as much sunlight to charge up as she usually does.

Her body is caught by Alex just as her eyes rolled into the back of her head and her body swaying backwards until she could no longer hold herself on her feet. She hears muffled shouts in Alex's voice to get a stretcher and to get the van ready to contain Supergirl for the ride back to the DEO.

When she wakes up, she's at the med bay under a large yellow sun lamp. Kara coughs and sniffles, she groans, she's solar flared. But this time it feels different. Like her body is more… sensitive, reactive to things and Kara is confused.

She slides out of the bed and stands on shaky legs and she realizes that she's feeling very uncomfortable, she shifts and tries to push the feeling away, but it doesn't work. Where's Alex? Kara really wanted to go home and hide away until she got better but she now knows better than to sneak out the DEO without telling Alex.

She waits shortly for her sister to come check up on her, but she gets impatient quick. She wanted to go home, and Alex is taking forever to come by. She'll just send her a text to let her know, yeah that'll work, and she won't be interrupting anything if Alex is busy too.

Once Kara is home, she's panting. And sweating and her breaths are hard, short and choppy. She's sure that if Kryptonians had sweat glands, she'd also be soaked.

Her face heats up and her cheeks feel like they're on fire. Kara's stomach clenches and her hands shot out to grab onto any surface that would hold her up which was fortunately her kitchen table.

Kara's knees buckle and her hunched over posture causes her face to press against the cold marble. She breathes a sigh of relief at the coolness of the surface.

A groan escapes her mouth when a jolt runs down her body and into her core that leaves her quite shaken and surprised.

The uncomfortable feeling comes back tenfold afterwards, causing Kara to jerk forward and causing her hips to smack into the table. Kara holds herself up by her arms and she stares down onto the table with wide eyes. Scared and panicky. Maybe she should've stayed back at the DEO.

Kara realizes how compromising her position is at the moment but she finds that she can't force herself to stand up so she stays in that position, bent over her kitchen table, over the place where she eats her meals, her cape falling over to the right and exposing the back view of her suit where her skirt… doesn't really help, and she helplessly hopes for whatever this is to go away soon.

She tries to recall what the source of this very strange situation and remembers that it all started with the stinky slobber that was spilled over her last night. Kara shakily reached down for the DEO phone that she kept in her boot, shivering a few times in the process, and texting Alex that she needed help.

The phone was dropped and so did Kara's hand.

A sudden stop had taken over the heat in Kara's loins and the Kryptonian was finally able to stand. She was well aware that this might not mean the end of whatever this is and Kara took whatever little time she had to move into her bedroom instead.

Once Kara's body hit the mattress of her bed, thankfully without a cape or boots, her body ignited, and she couldn't stop her hands from gripping into her crotch and thighs. Holding her thighs together made it worse so she kept them apart and she caught those hands wandering dangerously close to her core.

Her phone's ringtone jolted her out of her haze, and she reached out for it, praying to Rao that it was Alex and that she was on her way over. Kara's shaky thumb hovered over the accept button, but her breath hitched in her throat and in her haste, she had accidentally pressed decline instead. She cursed under her breath.

The lock screen that she refused to change greeted her as the call ended. Lena's bright eyes staring right back at hers and Kara's eyes dampened immediately, her free hand moved against her will and stuck itself right underneath the cloth of her skirt and a loud moan escaped the blonde.

The screen turned black as the timer was up and Kara frantically pressed it to see the image again. Kara's breath turned short and erratic, her cheeks flamed in heat, her eyes dilated, and her mouth fell open as her fingers worked themselves faster and faster.

It's been so long since she'd seen Lena, but she can still remember her clearly. The brightness of her smile, the smell of her perfume, the smoothness of her skin and the softness of her hair. Oh, how Kara missed having Lena close. What wouldn't she do to get her back?

Kara's eyes closed and she got lost in her memories and her thoughts of her ex best friend.

By the time Alex had gotten to her sister's apartment, the stench of sex had heavily saturated the place. She covered her nose in disgust and walked closer to the bedroom, her ears perking up at the sound of quiet sobs inside.

She found Kara on her back, sobbing into the crook of her arm while her free hand rested on her belly where she could clearly see it glistening. Down to the south, Kara's skirt rode up all the way in the front, her legs were joint at the knees, thankfully obscuring her vision but Alex could easily figure out what happened.

Advancing through the room, Alex made sure to keep her gaze away until she reached the bed. She grabbed the blanket that almost fell off the mattress and covered her little sister's legs and waist.

"Hey, you okay?" The redhead asked gently.

All she received was a hitched hiccup and a frantic shake of head.

Alex frowned; she could feel Kara was devastated over whatever happened here.

"Want me to take you back to the DEO and figure out what's happened?"

Another shake of head and Alex could see Kara's lips tremble underneath her arm.

"That's okay. How about a bath first instead?"

There was a pause, Alex hoped this might work, and she smiled softly when Kara's bloodshot eyes got revealed when the arm was pulled back. "I'll go prepare the tub, you get undressed and meet me there, we'll talk when you're ready." Alex awkwardly patted Kara's shoulder and stood up.

Alex waited at the kitchen's table, blissfully unaware of the situation that occurred here not too long ago. When Kara came out to see here sitting there, she blushed and quietly requested they move to the couch. Kara fiddled with her thumbs in her lap, she could feel Alex's gaze waiting for her to start speaking but she didn't know what to say.

How could she explain that whatever odor that came from that alien's spit had caused her to go into a sex frenzy where she had masturbated to her ex best friend's image in her mind until she was sated?

She shrugged her shoulders and stopped twirling her thumbs. "… I don't want to wear my suit anymore."

Alex seemed surprised at the statement. "Okay, but why?"

Kara offered no reply other than a tentative "Please?"

"That's fine, I guess." Alex said slowly. "We could get Brainy to make you a new one, hopefully a better looking one too." To which the blonde only nodded.

The next day, CatCo had been the first media company to cover Supergirl's new suit, along with a closeup picture of Supergirl's crestfallen face underneath her newly cut bangs. They had believed that their hero is maturing, foregoing the skirt for a more grownup getup where she'll be taking more responsible decisions regarding her hero duties. Little did they know that the girl of steel was in fact broken-hearted and more fragile than she's ever been.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Canon and fans when Kara got a new suit: :D, Kara: :D  
Me when I give Kara a new suit: >:), Kara: :,(
> 
> By the way, I've been doing this thing where I place song lyrics in the story waay back in WoW and surprisingly only 2 people found out. There isn't any in this chapter but I wanna play a game (did you hear that in jigsaw voice?). If you guys find some of them, for each lyric you find, I'll give you "hints" of what will happen in the story later.   
Not sure where I'll post them in the story or if I should put them on tumblr or what but I'll figure it out.  
Y'all interested?


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There were 3 people who figured out some lyrics I put in the fic so I'll put the hint scenes at the end of the chapter.

Kara remembers the last time she felt like a hero. She remembers the last time she thought she deserved to be called a hero. It was never something she thought she'd experience, not again.

The first time it happened, Kara was able to fix it, she didn't have time to feel the horrific consequences of her actions. Too blinded by her anger, and so much adrenaline rushing through her veins. But Kara caught herself before it could come back to haunt her years later.

This time, however, there was no going back and there was no way to rewind.

It wasn't a special day, just a regular work day at the DEO. Kara wasn't busy with any CatCo assignments, so it wasn't a big deal to spend a few hours at the DEO. Not like has anything else better to do anyway. She was sitting at a computer desk, slowly spinning herself on the chair and quietly picking at the end of her new cape while Alex and Brainy were talking about the dangerous alien of the week, she wasn't really paying attention.

Lately, her strategy for dealing with aliens was simply beating them up, wait until they were restrained and leave immediately. Kara didn't have enough energy to talk to Alex about them much less muster a smile for the public. She just felt sick when she was called in to the DEO, she would feel dread knowing that they would call her in. It left a sour taste in her mouth that kept on lingering and Kara didn't know how to make it stop.

Everything was bland and sickening and she hated it. She hated being Supergirl, hated plastering a fake smile while she swooped in to save the day only to hear the cheers and physically recoil at the sound. She also hated being Kara Danvers, hated being the preppy, sunny reporter of CatCo. She didn't know how to be that way anymore and yet everyone kept expecting that from her even after a year's passed.

So, she opted to work from home, lessen her work hours at CatCo. Same with Supergirl duties, she made it clear to the staff, to Brainy and Alex, that she didn't want to be called in unless it was absolutely necessary.

It did raise everyone's concern obviously, but Kara didn't bother appeasing their worries.

But today was one of the "absolutely necessary" days and Kara had to come into the DEO headquarters. She silently joins the team at the table where Kara had once jokingly called "The round table", a small, old jab at Lena's fondness for medieval time periods back when she was still in National City. Supergirl's arms cross on the surface of the table and she sullenly waits to be filled in.

Kara's eyebrows furrow in frustration at the information she receives, it was the same alien Kara had caught last week. It was the same alien Kara had been catching for the past few weeks actually. Supergirl frowns and remarks at the lack of security at the DEO before peevishly asking for the coordinates and flying off to catch the alien for the fifth time that month.

Every time Kara flew out to the city, the same billboards would come her way. Featuring Lutessa Luthor's obnoxious smile with a headline somewhere around her face. Kara was sure Lutessa hated her guts even though she had no proof of it. She just knew it.

By that time, Lena's departure had been overshadowed by Lutessa's appearance as the lost Luthor daughter. Kara hated seeing the details of the first ever interview the younger blonde had been to. The first question she was asked was, of course, regarding Lena leaving the city and her position at Lcorp.

"Yeah, it was really hard for her at the time and of course the city wasn't treating her any better."

Kara was a reporter, one of the best at CatCo, it wasn't much of a shock for her to be asked to be there during the interview. She kept her head down and opted for simply taking notes instead of asking questions as she should. But of course, some newbie reporter would ask a stupid question like, "So, you think it's the city's fault that Lena's gone?" It was obviously not to get an actual answer but to simply stir up unnecessary drama for the new Luthor in town.

Tess locked eyes with the reporter, raised an eyebrow before shrugging nonchalantly and saying with a nod. "Pretty much, yeah. You guys were ruthless." The room went silent at the blunt answer. No one had expected this type of honesty and Kara had raised her head to stare just like everyone else, only to be picked out from the crowd by the same striking green eyes Lena used to have. "It's your fault that she left."

Everyone heard it being directed at the city. Kara knew it was directed at herself.

That line would echo in her mind every time she saw Lutessa's face. It would bounce around in her head until Kara's stomach churned miserably.

Unlike Lena, Tess was easily accepted by the public and Kara didn't understand why. Lena worked so hard to be accepted by these people while Tess basically said 'fuck you' to everyone on air -still is- and she's getting praise for it. Maybe it was because the drama is no longer relevant anymore, but Tess didn't face the challenges she knew Lena had faced.

Supergirl lands and her cape flails dramatically behind her to announce her presence. The alien she's pursuing takes notice and roars, not wasting more time before charging at her in full speed.

They clash, and Supergirl struggles to hold the alien back as it attempted to push her all the way across the street to the waterfront a block away. People scatter away from them and Kara grits her teeth in frustration. She had things much better to do than repeatedly keep fighting a mindless monster.

The fight ends up taking way longer than Kara would like and taking up way too much usage of her powers than usual as well.

When the alien finally crumbles to the ground, Supergirl marches up heavily to it, a furious look on her face and an unmistakable heat stirring up in her eyes. There's no one around to witness what follows but when Alex and the DEO pull up to the scene, the alien lays motionless on the ground and there's no Supergirl in sight.

…

"What does that mean?"

Lena doesn't reply. She just focuses on checking over her suit, her arms reaching behind her back to pat at the big hole that exposes the middle of her back. She curses lightly before her arm is pulled back, so she's spun to face Alex once again. "What does that mean, Lena?!" She raises her voice.

Lena still remains silent. Alex searches for Lena's eyes in distress, hoping that this doesn't mean what she thinks it means but Lena's eyes are hidden behind the mask and only the shine from them shows through. Alex doesn't know how to react.

"You're not serious, are you?" Alex lets go of Lena's arm and shakily laughs. Her hand moves up to rub her eyes in frustration but remains there clutching the bridge of her nose in shock. "Lena, please. These are people's lives you're messing with. Do you not understand what you're doing?!"

The words seem to snap Lena out of her silent demeanor and makes her lose her temper right away.

"Well what choice do I have, Alex?!" Lena snaps. "What else can I do?" Her chest puffs in anger and her eyes burn with resentment. She knows what her actions will result in.

Alex in momentarily stunned but she replies instantly. "Find another solution! Anything is better than what you're doing!"

"You think I enjoy doing this?!" Lena shouts furiously. She stomps one step further to stand directly in front of Alex and moves in. "You think I get some sort of sick satisfaction out of doing this?!" She shakes her head. "Because I don't. It makes me feel sick. I can't even look at myself because It makes me disgusted to know that the person I see has murdered in cold blood."

Alex tries to take a step and move away but she finds that she's stuck against a wall and an outraged Atlantean. "You don't even know what it does to me." Lena continues. "Did you know that I can't sleep because all I see are faces of those I had to kill in order to get this mission moving forward." Lena's breath hitches in her throat. "I can hear their voices. And they all collide. Asking me, over and over again why would I take their lives away." Lena gulps harshly.

"I Hear Lex telling me that I've always been a fool to trust anyone because look where it had gotten me. I've become worse than he was." Lena laughed bitterly and Alex can't see behind the mask where tears started gathering at the corners of Lena's eyes. "He never stops-" Lena pauses when she feels the tip of a gun pressing against her chest.

Her eyes widen in surprise and they refocus on Alex's alarmed face. Trailing away the ice encased walls behind the redhead and back to the gun pressing against the center of her chest. Lena's hand shakily moves up to place her hand above Alex's and pauses.

Alex doesn't move away but Lena does notice that she tenses up. Most likely waiting for an action to react to. A moment later, Alex's free hand moves up to Lena's face and slowly edges her fingers to the bottom of the mask, similarly waiting for an action that would tell her to stop or continue.

She moves the edge of the mask up and pulls it up to reveal Lena's guilt-ridden face. Red rimmed golden eyes, and a firm, tight frown. Lena's breathing heavily, her chest moving rapidly and her nostrils flare with each inhale she takes. Alex can see how jittery she's become.

Lena swallows again before she grabs the gun and pulls it away too quickly for Alex to stop her.

"Lena-" Alex says in warning but is cut off by Lena holding both sides of the gun and forcefully bending it in the middle before dropping it to the floor and stepping away. "… What happened to you? You used to be such a good person, what made you this way?" Alex asks finally.

"You're just like everyone else." Lena growls lowly. "But I'll tell you my dark and whimsical story." Lena chuckles darkly. "Cause ever since I got taken by this family of pricks, they tried forming me into a genius, I wanted more to see." Lena shook her head bitterly. "There was no intimacy, no insecurity, no love or warmth, family quarreling. I excelled! They were all ashamed. They sent me away. Cause they never could get me to be like them."

Alex felt goosebumps spread on her arms. "But I am. It took me this long to notice."

"And now that I found my real family, I thought I could finally have what I was never allowed but no. It's never that easy for me."

"Look, Lena, I'm sorry this is all happening to you but-" Alex tried.

"But what?" Lena interrupted again. "You can't allow me to keep doing this even though you know that this is the only way? Because if you have another solution, I'm all ears!"

Alex didn't have another solution. She sees the news and the statistics, and she could understand the charts that clearly say crimes have been dropping drastically. Criminals were afraid for their lives. It isn't the same situation as before where they would get caught and they'd get sent to prison where they may or may not escape to continue whatever it is they do. No, when they get caught now, they die instantly.

Petty thieves are afraid, the wealthy were afraid, hell even the mafia crowds were afraid. The only incidents that were still a reoccurrence were rogue alien attacks.

Lena understood what the silence meant but she wanted to push further. "Do I have to beg, Alex?" She said. "Give me one solution that would work. Just one! I'll gladly drop this and do that instead."

Alex knew what Lena was doing. She wanted her to say it out loud.

"I'm not going against my family again, Alex." Lena said. "They're all I have."

"You had us." It was the wrong thing to say.

Lena laughed. "Great joke."

"I'm telling the truth." Alex said. "We all cared about you."

"You all lied to me." Lena stopped to stare Alex in the eyes. "You kept me in the dark and laughed behind my back at my ignorance. I should never have trusted any of you."

"Kara wanted to tell you, so bad." Alex tried. "she did for months!"

"Supergirl used me. She broke my heart and I'll never trust her again." Lena frowned. "But it doesn't matter anymore because I have other things to focus my time and energy on. I suggest you both stay out of my way."

"Are you going to kill me too if I try to stop you again." Alex questioned with a glare.

"Would you like to find out?" Lena raised an eyebrow challengingly. "You were lucky having that gun." But the gun is now unusable, and Lena wouldn't hesitate to run Alex through with her trident.

Alex tried to stare Lena down but the Atlantean wouldn't budge and she wasn't going to take back her words. Her shoulders slumped and she sighed. Tilting her head back and taking a deep breath before crossing her arms and asking quietly. "Were you going to let us explain ourselves, had our meeting been different? Would you have given us a chance at fixing this?"

"No."

She frowned. Alex paused before asking again, much quieter this time. "Were you at least going to let us know you were back?"

"… No."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here are the scenes unordered:  
1\. Riptide, to Superman: You better pray to your god.
> 
> 2\. Tess, to Kara: You know, in the beginning, you were just mildly annoying. Now I feel like punching you every time you open your mouth.
> 
> 3\. Lena, to Alex: Keep your Kryptonian pets out of my way.
> 
> I'll see you guys in the next chapter!


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm a day late but I'm done with it now.  
I was going to jump on ahead to the rest of the story but thought this would be a good time for a chill chapter. Maybe the next one too, something with current Kara or something? Not sure.
> 
> But this is a Lena and Alex chapter so, enjoy.

Being cooped up in her Lab at Lcorp isn't healthy, Lena knew that. But it isn't like she had anything better to do anyways. As far as National City was concerned, Lena Luthor was still gone, and Lena didn't have any responsibilities to the company yet.

She didn't have anyone, a friend, to see either. So, she just focused on pouring all her time and energy into fixing her suit and hopefully come up with counter measures to what happened last time.

Last time, Alex managed to knock her out with one blast and discover her identity all in one night, Lena couldn't afford to have that happen again. Who knows who it'll be next time? She didn't know if Alex could be trusted and she didn't know if she'd keep her identity a secret.

Lena mentally prepared herself for Alex to go back to the DEO and spill everything. Though she'd started to relax when a couple of days had passed, and no one was storming Lcorp or her apartment.

Thankfully, she had a spare of her suit lying around because the old suit was basically useless at this point. The back of it had a big hole torn in the middle of it and Lena didn't want to think of how disgusting her back would look when the new scar heals. It was a waste, really. Lena had stored so much energy inside this suit and now it's all gone. She could've really needed it.

She mended the suit, and she sulked at her desk for a total of 45 minutes before her personal elevator dinged and an unimpressed Tess had made her way in. Lena stared, silently asking what she wanted.

Tess simply put her hands on her hips and went off on a tangent on how anti-social and depressing Lena is behaving. "Listen, ever since you got back, you've been cooped up inside. It's either a stuffy apartment, a stuffy lab or a stuffy office and it's not doing you any good mentally or physically." Lena unconvincingly stammered an excuse and even offered to show Tess the new abilities of the suit, but the blonde was having none of it. "Go outside. I don't care where. Just go get some fresh air. Go get some coffee or food, get drunk or get laid, I don't care, just go see some human beings and be social for fucks sake!" Lena couldn't believe Tess kicked her out of her own lab and threatened her to tell Jess that she was back without telling her. "And if you come back here before 7pm, I'm telling Jess."

"Go be social, my ass." Lena muttered to herself as she grumpily rounded a corner. Her hands were clenched inside the pockets of a black hooded jacket that Tess had brought down with her along with other street wear. Lena hadn't worn clothes like this in such a long time.

Legs clad in skinny jeans and in shoes that wouldn't kill her feet for once, they were simple casual black shoes and Lena could wiggle her toes in them! Her hood was up, and she was wearing sunglasses to hide her face, the media couldn't possibly know she was back, but she would never risk going out in public when her face could be recognized.

She didn't really have anywhere she wanted to go; she was just walking aimlessly. Her chest hurt with each breath she took, but she knew that sitting somewhere with fresh air might help.

Lena found herself taking a familiar route to a coffee shop that was once her favorite.

She opened the door to Noonan's and silently shuffled to stand in the line, her head down to avoid eye contact with anyone. The cashier was different than the one Lena used to know, and she found herself feeling sad. Everyone in this city really did move on. And only Lena remained in the past.

Her eyes drifted to the counter where an array of pastries was displayed below a big menu. Those were the donuts that she used to share with-

Lena's eyes snapped to the cashier who called on her and she hurriedly ordered her usual drink, a latte for "Kieran" that Lena didn't even get to enjoy beyond one sip because as soon as she had reached the exit, someone ran into her and the impact caused the lid to pop off the cup and the coffee to spill over both herself and the stranger.

She cringed at the burn and hissed once the sensation settled on her skin. Lena took a deep breath through her nose and opted to bite her tongue and hold the edge of her hoodie away from her skin while listening to the coffee spiller's repeated apologies.

"It's fine." Lena raised her head to look at the person she ran into. Her expression turned from understanding and mildly annoyed to an immediate frown. "You?"

Alex rolled her eyes and mirrored Lena's expression. "Hello to you too."

"What are you doing here?" Lena's eyes narrowed.

Alex simply walked past Lena to grab napkins from the counter. "If you must know, I'm actually a regular here now." Alex thought their coffee was good and a coffee addiction sounded less severe than an alcohol addiction. "What are YOU doing here?"

"None of your business." Lena grumbled and followed her inside.

"Rude." Alex scoffed. "I answered your question, answer mine." She shoved a pile of napkins into Lena's stomach causing her to flinch. Lena didn't reply, she just took her napkins and headed for the door only to be stopped by a hand holding her arm. Lena looked back from the corner of her eyes and glared. "Nope, you're not going anywhere. We need to talk."

Lena grunted and pulled her arm back. "I have nothing to say to you."

"Well, I have plenty to say to you." Alex said without sparing her a look. "I've been thinking quite a lot about the… situation." That got Lena's attention. Not that she cared about anything Alex would think but she was curious, nonetheless.

"Well, hurry up. I don't have all day." Lena sassed and stood off to the side while Alex ordered herself a coffee. It was a lie of course. Lena did have all day since Tess told her not to come back before 7pm and it was only 2pm, but Alex didn't know that. And she might as well be difficult if Alex was going to judge her either way.

She also lost her coffee and wasn't about to go order another one. The cashier stared at her and Lena worriedly assumes she might recognize her if she got a second glimpse.

It didn't take long for the redhead to get to the front of the line and order herself a double shot espresso. Alex took out her wallet and was about to pay but paused, cleared her throat at the weird look she received from the cashier and pointed behind her at Lena to order whatever she had before.

The girl's eyebrows raised, and a slight blush coated her cheeks as she looked back at Lena, who had taken off her sunglasses and was lazily cleaning the lenses with her sleeves. "Oh, Kieran's? Of course, I'll get that done right away!" She said.

Alex raised an eyebrow. Kieran?

"Did you get that to pour it all over me again?" Lena asked with a sneer when she saw the second cup.

"Kieran?" Alex asked as soon as she got close.

"Don't ever use that name." Lena threatened in embarrassment. She couldn't give out her real name and this was the first thing that came to mind.

"Sure…, Kieran." Alex sipped her coffee, ignoring the look she got and handed the other one to Lena. "Let's go somewhere quiet to talk."

They chose a nearby park. It was quiet, not many people were around, most likely still at their daytime jobs. Alex sat on a bench, leaned back and relaxed with her coffee in hand while Lena simply stood to the side, not wanting Alex to get the wrong idea about why she was here in the first place.

Lena sipped her drink and waited patiently but Alex was taking her goddamn time.

A slight breeze was weaving through the park, carrying floating leaves and washing over Lena's face. The air was warm, she could feel it getting chilly. Bushes covered with vibrant flowers and surrounding a pathway that was nothing more than dirt with littered rocks. Lena heard Alex sigh and lean forward on the seat.

"So," she started, elbows resting on her knees. "Riptide, huh?" She asked, her gaze down on the cup in her hands. "Never thought you'd be into the vigilante scene. You used to be so against it."

Lena hummed briefly. "I was." She said. "I am." She stated.

"so, why be one?" Alex asked. "I know you said it's to prevent a war between the surface and the Atlanteans but why be a vigilante? Why nothing else?"

"It's because I don't have much time to think, I need something to happen as soon as possible." Lena explained. "If I took my time thinking of another plan, I'd run out of time. This is the most effective plan that I could come up with in a week."

Alex pursed her lips. She understood that Lena had some sort of deadline to this but what she didn't understand was the plan itself. What sort of plan was this? What Did Lena hope to accomplish by killing people? How would that ever prompt a change for the better?

"What are you planning to do?"

She didn't receive a reply. Alex moved her head to look at Lena, who kept her gaze forward. "If you want me to understand, I need you to tell me what you're planning to do."

"I don't want you to understand." Lena spoke. "I want you to stay out of my way. You shooting me caused a big setback and I can't have that happening again."

"You really think I'd let you get away with all of that with no explanation?" Alex raises an eyebrow.

"You didn't alert the DEO yet so," Lena retorted with a small smirk. "Yes. You will."

"I can arrest you right now." Alex said seriously.

"Threatening me is not going to get you the information you need." Lena was unaffected, she would have been scared of Agent Danvers two years ago, but Lena's changed, and she could confidently say that she's faced things that are way more terrifying than a redhead with a gun. "And I suggest you don't cross me." Lena's eyes caught Alex's.

They were caught in a staring match for a couple of minutes before Alex let out a frustrated breath and moved her gaze away. She leaned back into her seat and contemplated what she'd say next.

"I kept thinking of what you said." Alex muttered. "You were right. Your actions do have an effect on the city." Lena's eyebrow raised in surprise. "But I work with the government so, I can't really let you off the hook that easily."

"What does that mean?"

"It means that," Alex swallowed thickly. "I'm willing to help you if you need me but you have to let me in on whatever it is that you're doing." She said lowly.

Lena prided herself for being able to keep her facial features in a perfect poker face, a result of many years' experience in dealing with hard headed old men and a family that considered feelings a weakness, but she couldn't stop herself from going wide-eyes for a good two seconds. Lena schooled her features and replied coolly. "And why do you think I'd need you?"

"I obviously know your identity, so that's one reason." Alex matched her tone. "And as I said, I work with the government. I can provide you some sort of protection or at least lead eyes away from you."

Lena's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Why the sudden change of heart?"

Alex demeanor suddenly changed. Her shoulders dropped and her face lost all the smugness she previously had. Lena noted that she looked tired. Alex ran a hand through her short hair and sighed. "I may not approve of you killing people unnecessarily, but the city needs help. The kind of help that the police or the authority can't provide."

Lena snorted and shook her head. "Killing unnecessarily? If I recall correctly, there is some footage of you online running through who seemed to be Supergirl's aunt with a Kryptonite sword." Alex's entire body tensed. "Am I wrong, Director? Or do you have some sort of exception to this 'killing unnecessarily' rule?"

"How did you know about that?" Alex asked coldly, her hand squeezing the cup in her hand tightly.

Lena smiled. "I have a lot of daytime on my hands."

"You don't know what you're talking about." Alex snarled.

"Seems so," Lena hummed, sipping on her now lukewarm coffee. She would've made one more snarky comment about having Kryptonite -as it was the reason for this mess of a situation in the first place- but decided that she'd save that for later when the it would serve a better purpose than being snarky.

"If all you're going to be doing is be nasty and unhelpful, then you could do this on your own and go fuck yourself." Alex stood up and said harshly, Lena didn't even flinch. But this did cause a few heads to turn.

"Calm down." Lena smirked. "You're making a scene."

"Last chance, Luthor." Alex said distastefully.

Lena clicked her tongue and made a show of sitting down on the bench quietly. Leaning forward to place her empty cup between her legs. "Sit down, Director." Lena looked up expectantly at the redhead and waited until she complied with a huff. "You may think that I'm evil for choosing this route, that I may be some sort of villain who's in denial of the truth of their actions." Lena began. "But I'm not a villain. But I'm not a hero, either. I just want to do what's right."

Alex raked her eyes over Lena's solemn face.

"When I cam back to National City, it was a mess." Lena stated. "And I didn't know how to even begin this mission that I was given. I was lost." She shrugged. "But I didn't have time to be lost. I had to do something. Anything. So, I came up with this plan." Lena shoulders raised slightly as she spoke. "I thought it was crazy. Crazy enough that it might work, and I started executing it as soon as I sorted out all the details."

Brown eyes narrowed; Lena was beating around the bush. But she stayed silent.

"The world is so full of ignorance and foolishness, people believed that these heroes would solve all their problems for them." Lena stated. "From life threatening situations to petty thefts. Heroes and vigilantes would always be there to help. But these heroes are not gods, nor are they perfect." Lena paused to look at Alex, once, to see if her reaction changed. All she saw was a purse of lips. "In fact, they are more human than they seem."

"Get to the point, Lena." Alex warned.

"I thought that if I could eliminate that reliance, the world would finally wake up to see the plight they're in." Lena spoke slowly. "I thought that if I could get rid of these heroes, just temporarily, I can finally show the world that they need to take responsibility for their actions. That they need to change and that they must save themselves rather than wait for a cape to shine hope upon them." Lena paused at the hardening gaze of Alex. "It's working in National City because it has no hero anymore."

Alex's nostrils flared. "Do you even know why we don't have a hero anymore?!"

"No." Lena said. "And I don't really care so save whatever it is that you want to yell at me for someone else."

"How can you say that?" Alex whispered in shock.

"I'm not accepting your offer to mend our friendship, Director Danvers." Lena said firmly. "This is to be a professional deal between us and that's it." She spoke. "Anything personal that happens to you or your sister is not my business."

Alex closed her mouth in understanding. Lena could tell that this was not what she wanted to hear but Lena didn't care about her feelings. She stood up and levelled her gaze to Alex's.

"Come with me." Lena started walking past the redhead. "I need to fill you in on what I want you to do."

Lena led Alex back to her apartment, not minding that the woman would figure out where she lives, Alex has been here before. She opens the door to see the lights on and figures out that Tess is a more responsible person that she is for leaving work at a healthy hour.

Tess looked up from her phone, she was sitting at the kitchen counter, waiting next to a pot on the oven. Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion at seeing the two come in and gave Lena a look.

Lena shrugged her shoulders as if to ask "What?".

"When I said go get laid, I didn't mean do it here." Tess said in annoyance. Watching both their eyes widen and their faces darken.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you guys think? My Alex is more understanding than the show, huh?  
Should I do one more chill chapter with Kara or should I jump right ahead into the rest of the plot?  
I can't wait to see your comments. I'll see you guys in the next chapter!


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I finally finished this. I'm sorry I couldn't post an update last week, I have 3 group assignments all at once so I had to try and get those started. I did post a Christmas one-shot though! It's a spinoff for BitW and you could go read it if you'd like.  
Other than that, hopefully I can get those assignments done in time for Christmas break because I want to start a short story as well as this one.

The sound of a camera shutter prompted Alex's eyes to roll in annoyance. She hadn't been around Tess for very long, but she knew that she didn't like the girl just as much as the blonde didn't like her.

Lena had explained, in explicit detail, what Alex should do to be of help to her. The brunette had told her how she should attempt this only when Lena herself wasn't around or when she specifically tells her to.

Alex moved her eyes back to the two Luthors where Lena had agreed to take a picture with Tess to announce her return. Lena had planned a public speech to kill the hype of the media before it even begins, but Tess had cut her off, saying that it would be stupid of her to do since none of her public speeches ever goes well. And Alex had to agree for once.

The Atlantean had rolled her eyes and sarcastically asked for another brilliant suggestion from the blonde. Tess looked smug so Alex assumed her suggestions usually work out well. Tess claimed that simply posting a picture on Instagram would be enough to tell everyone that she was back. And that it would be much safer and less of a hassle and that's what they're both currently doing.

Alex sat on the island, impatiently tapping her fingers on the surface of the table, Tess was taking forever to choose a picture. "Are you done?" Alex called out.

The blonde inspected the picture in her phone and smiled in satisfaction with a nod. Lena's fake smile immediately dropped, replaced by an annoyed frown and turned to face Alex. "Once this post goes online, all eyes will most likely be on my family again." She said.

"What's that got to do with our arrangement?" Alex asked.

"Two months isn't enough time to clear any association I'd have to Riptide." Lena explained. "If the media's eyes are on me once again, there's always going to be someone who'd try to expose my identity." She paused. "When that happens, you need to be the one who would clear my name."

Alex frowned. "I don't think I could pull that off as well as you want me to."

"That's fine." Lena dismissed. "I'll help you when you need me."

"What if I fail?"

"You won't." Lena assured.

"How can you be sure?" Alex asked nervously.

"If all goes well, you wouldn't have to do this at all, but in case you do," Lena promised. "I'll be able to watch over you wherever I am-"

"To keep you motivated to succeed," Tess cut off. "Just remember that if you fail, you'll go to jail."

"Wow, thanks." Alex deadpanned. "That's such great advice."

"Banter aside." Lena continued. "We should be expecting something to hit National City soon."

"How so?" Tess asked.

"Thanks to SOMEONE, I haven't been able to go out as riptide for a few nights now, my wounds have reopened and it's difficult for me to do any vigilante tasks like this." Lena explained pointedly.

"Seriously? It's been two years." Tess complained, unaware of Alex's uncomfortable shift. "How many times do I have to apologize for those?!"

"Once would be nice!" Lena exclaimed. She had meant Alex, but Tess also played a part in putting six fucking holes in her body.

Tess squinted her eyes, paused and clicked her tongue. "No."

"You killed me!" Lena exclaimed.

"But did you die?" Tess defended.

"Yes!" Lena raised her voice. "Twice!"

"You're fine now. Stop being a baby."

"Shut up." Lena gave her a look before moving her attention back to Alex. "As I was saying, Orm will definitely see that no progress has been made and send… a warning soon. Very soon."

"What type of warning?" Alex frowned in worry.

"The type of warning that the DEO would consider as a high-level threat." Lena raised her eyebrows. "And I'm not sure if I can successfully contain it in my current shape."

"Can't you just do some water magic and heal yourself like you did to my legs?" Tess asked in confusion.

"Healing is efficient, but it's also damaging if I continue to rely on it all the time." Lena shook her head. "My body will lose it's ability to heal and mend on its own and will depend on my powers, so I can't use them this time." She explained. "If I use it more than I should, my body won't be able to heal at all. I'll lose the ability to use it altogether."

Alex looked down, when she shot Lena in the back, she made this worse for her. Granted, she didn't know it was her, but she was ready to shoot another hole in Lena's chest just a few nights ago.

"I'll have the DEO ready incase anything happens." Alex said.

"No, they'd only stand in my way and hold me back." Lena shook her head. "Keep the DEO's efforts focused on protecting the civilians while I deal with whatever comes our way."

"Fine." Alex said in defeat. "I better go on my way now, it's late."

Lena hummed and moved to lead Alex to the door. "I'll be in touch, director."

Leaving the Luthor's home, Alex immediately headed for her sister's apartment. She anticipated that Lena's arrival will definitely make its way to her sister's feed as soon as it becomes public since the blonde is still a reporter.

It's been a year now that Supergirl is gone and Alex knew that despite her sister's silence, she was still hurting and blaming herself every day. For Lena's departure, for the life she took, for the hope in Supergirl's return that no longer lingers. All alongside the suppressed feelings of her past.

All those feelings would definitely break their way out of Kara's grasp once she sees the news tonight and Alex was determined to be there for her sister when it happens.

She knocks on the door and waits for the blonde to open it, she hears shuffling and padding inside the apartment and Alex nervously rubs the sole of her boots on the ground. She wasn't sure what to say or how to open the subject.

"It's open!"

Alex rolled her eyes and headed inside. Kara probably x-rayed the door instead of bothering to get up and open it. The redhead looked around for her sister who was sitting on the couch with fluffy socks and a big sweater, cradling a Thai food takeout box.

"Hey, do you need something?" Kara asked, noticing the stiffness in her sister's body language.

"No, not really." Alex answered, trying to seem nonchalant. "How are you today?"

Kara's eyes furrowed in confusion. Why would she be any different from every other day? Blue eyes followed Alex's to the TV where a romcom was playing. "I'm same as always. Why?"

"Nothing, nothing." Alex shrugged nervously. "It's just that…" She took a moment to think of what to say. Should she casually mention her sister's ex best friend was back in town? Should she ask if the blonde caught up on the news? Should she suggest going out to avoid this altogether? "How are you?"

Alex flinched at the words and looked to the side as to avoid the blonde's gaze.

"Alex, what's wrong with you?" Kara put her takeout aside and stood up. Kara watched her sister swallow, contemplating her words and nervously slick her hair back more times than necessary. "Alex."

"Lena's back in National City!" Alex spat out on impulse. Her heart hammered away in her chest as she watched her sister's baby blue eyes widen and the color in her face drain. "Oh, Kara." Alex whispered sympathetically at the gathering of shocked tears. "I… I didn't want you to know like this." Alex moved closer.

"She's back?" Kara whimpered unbelievingly. "How do you know?"

"It's currently trending on Twitter." Alex lied. She didn't think it would be too far from the truth, it has been a little over half an hour and Tess did have 7.5M followers, it was bound to happen soon anyway. Alex stayed quiet while Kara shuffled quickly, almost desperately, to open her phone and check for herself. Moving to place her hand at the slumped shoulders once she caught a silent shake.

"She really is back." Kara whispered. Her eyes never leaving the smiling face, she took her time looking over the features, Lena's smile and her stunning eyes. She knew the greens were lenses, but she still couldn't stop the tears from flooding her eyes. Blurring her vision and making her lips tremble uncontrollably. "I… I need to see her, Alex."

Several alarms went off in Alex's head at those words and her hands tightened on Kara's shoulders. "No!" She exclaimed, cursing at herself at the startled and frightened expression due to her outburst. She cleared her throat and shook her head gently. "That's a really bad idea, Kara." She corrected.

"Why not?" Kara frowned. "It's been two years, she looks happy, maybe she doesn't hate me as much anymore." She tried. "Maybe she'll let me explain and apologize!"

Alex didn't know how to tell her that Lena is currently at her lowest, that she's struggling and constantly fighting herself to retain bits of the person she used to be. 'I can't sleep, Alex.' Lena had growled at her. 'I hear their voices.' She said. Alex knew that Lena was battling with her inner demons every day, as long as continues to wear a mask at night. But Alex wasn't supposed to know that. Alex couldn't bare to tell her sister that she knew Lena was back way before she told her.

"Give it time, Kara." She tried. "A week or two before you attempt to contact her."

"What would she think if I did that, Alex!" Kara pulled back and faced the redhead. "She'll think that I don't care anymore. That I gave up on us and that I forgot about her."

"No, she wouldn't!" Alex countered.

"You don't know that!"

"Yes, I do!" Alex insisted.

"How?!" Kara yelled. And Alex froze. How could she know? Alex wasn't supposed to know anything, she was supposed to be as clueless as Kara was. "How, Alex?" Her voice lowered and Alex didn't reply. Kara waited for a response, way longer than necessary before her shoulders dropped and she whispered. "I need to see her, Alex. I can't keep things as they are any longer."

"It's late." Alex finally said. "You're getting emotional, how about you wait till morning?"

Kara swallowed, promptly thinking about the offer before nodding sadly. Tomorrow, she decided. Tomorrow she would go see Lena.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kara knows Lena's back! How do you think their first meeting will go?  
Also, if you're curious. I posted a couple of spoilers for this story on Tumblr cause an anon asked me to for an ask game. You can go see them if you don't mind spoilers or if you're really curious to see them.  
Other than that, check out the Christmas one-shot, I thought it was cute and a good break from all the drama here.
> 
> If you have any questions about the story I'm thinking of writing alongside this, or if you're simply curious about the events of this story, you're welcome to ask about them on my Tumblr @fandomdojo
> 
> See you in the next chapter!


	12. Chapter 12

The next morning couldn't come any slower. Kara laid on her side, at 4am, wide awake and staring at the clock in her phone every few minutes. She buries her face in her pillow with a groan when she sees 10 minutes had only passed in the 30 minutes, she thought she waited.

It was still dark out. The sun rises much late in the cold season that it does the rest of the year and Kara pouts. Alex spent the night here. Kara had tried to get her to go home but the redhead said she didn't trust her not to go visit Lena's apartment during the middle of the night and Kara knew that if she went to roam around and wake her sister, Alex would be mad that she woke her at such early hour.

When the clock hits 6am, Kara is already out of bed and getting ready for the day. The flicking of lights and the pattering of feet wakes the director and Alex reluctantly moves her head from under the covers. She glares at the blonde when she drops a pan and moves the blanket back over her head to get as much sleep as she could. But the noise only persists, and Alex throws her blanket off with a huff.

"Why are you awake so early?" Alex complains. "It's not like you get to see Lena now. You have a job to go to first."

Kara stops stirring pancake mix and stares at Alex with a blank stare.

"You do remember you have a job, right?" Alex rubs her eyes and squints them against the light.

"Well... yeah?" Kara says.

"You're never excited to go to CatCo anymore." Alex pointed out. "So, don't even think of ditching work or leaving in the middle of the day." She stated. She raised her eyebrows when Kara didn't meet her eyes. "Kara."

"Fine." The blonde replied with a small pout.

"I'll be checking in at CatCo later and you better be there." Alex said, heading to the bathroom to wash her face and freshen up. She came out a few minutes later to a plate of pancakes on the table for her and a blonde quietly eating hers next to her seat. Alex sat down. "Hey, I know you want to try and make this right as soon as you can." Kara nodded sadly. "But please consider giving yourself and Lena some time. I know that you think waiting for too long got you in this mess in the first place but just, think about it, okay?"

At Kara's reluctant nod, Alex stood up and moved to retrieve her leather jacket. She picked up a few pancakes off her plate and moved the rest to the blonde's before giving her a side hug. "I have to go now, but I'll see you once you get off work."

And with that, Alex headed to the DEO after stopping by her apartment for a shower. Lena said there was a threat coming, she didn't know how soon but Alex wasn't about to ignore the warning.

The day was nerve wrecking for the Danvers sisters, but for different reasons. Alex had spent the entire day trying to up security and get her agents ready for an attack that they weren't supposed to know about. Most of them were shrugging her efforts off thinking that this was some sort of drill and Alex was ready to tear her hair out by the end of the day. It didn't help that Brainy was tailing her all day with questions regarding her behavior and Alex was trying to be very mindful of what she tells him. He is after all, a 13th level intellect.

As for Kara, CatCo was more of a nightmare than usual. At least more than she remembers. She did most of the stories assigned to her from home for the last two years and coming back to work today was a change, to say the least.

Lena and Tess's picture is all over the monitors at CatCo and Kara was trying to hold herself back from walking to a closet and simply fly out the building. The only thing that actually got her to stop and stay was that Supergirl has been off the radar for a while now and she didn't want to spread false hope of her return. Not when she didn't have any intentions of returning to be National City's hero.

It's not that Kara didn't want to help people anymore. She did. But it's just so… difficult to help people when you need help yourself. Kara always puts the world before herself and she knows how much of an affect it can have on her.

She supposed that her repressed emotions were finally starting to get the best of her. Kara had experienced what it's like to get overcome with emotions. To get overcome with anger and hate. The red Kryptonite incident never truly left her conscious and it only got worse after she had used her laser on that poor alien. It was a menace and a great bother, but it was still a mindless rogue alien that was acting on its instincts. And Kara killed it for that.

As a reporter, Kara heard plenty of rumors about why Supergirl vanished. Some of them ridiculously unbelievable and some of them uncomfortably accurate. One of them was the one of the reasons why Kara is holding back on going to see Lena as per Alex's request, Lutessa Luthor.

As a reporter, Kara had to go and interview Lutessa Luthor once. Snapper had ordered her to do the interview and Kara disliked every minute. It's not like Tess was unpleasant to be around or talk to. Sure, she was very blunt, but it was quite funny once the shock wears off, but Tess knew who she was. And she didn't hesitate to drop comments here and there.

"Everyone falls apart, even the people who never frown, eventually break down." Tess had said once. "That's the sacrifice of hiding in a lie, everything has to end."

She never broke their eye contact and Kara honestly didn't know how to respond at the time. She had hurriedly changed the subject, but this had later prompted her to write an article about Supergirl's disappearance.

Now if Kara were to go see Lena, she'd have to go to Lcorp where she didn't know which Luthor would be there to see her. She couldn't go to Lcorp for a friendly visit because Jess will most likely kick her out so work is her only option but then she might have to see Tess instead. Tess didn't like Kara. Jess didn't like Kara as much anymore either.

It's the same things that held her back from telling Lena two years ago. The more Kara thought about it, the more reasons she saw to not see Lena. It was always the same fear that kept her from reaching out. Kara fears that if she doesn't do this soon, she'll lose the only chance she has.

Her train of thoughts was thankfully broken by Alex, who was walking to her desk with what Kara could see was boxes of potstickers and the Kryptonian's mood instantly shifted to a more positive vibe. "Hey," Alex greeted with a smile. "I see you're working hard." She teased.

Kara ignored the blatant comment about her empty workspace in favor of reaching out to a box of steaming potstickers. She didn't even bother rolling her eyes or childishly sticking her tongue out at her sister.

"So, have you thought about what I said?" Alex asked.

Kara slowed down her consumption of food to think about her decision one more time. She feels like there was good in waiting, but Kara had never been good at finding the right time. What if the right time never came like last time? She swallowed her mouthful and nodded. "I have to do this soon, Alex. I can't keep putting it off or I'll never gather the courage to do it."

Alex understood why her sister would choose to stick by what she said. And she didn't particularly feel like discouraging Kara from this and be a reason for another fallout. But still, Alex knew that Lena didn't really want to be their friend again, she made it clear to Alex that she had no intentions of fixing whatever friendship they used to have. Especially not while Lena is here for a mission.

But maybe Kara can change her mind. Alex hoped she could.

It was highly unlikely, but it isn't necessarily impossible.

"Will you come with me when I go see her?" Kara asked quietly. Alex frowned. That was a very bad idea. Alex knows Lena is back. She's also now working with Lena, Lena didn't say anything, but Alex knew she wouldn't want her bringing her sister to see her. Not when Lena never even spoke her name when she's being mentioned.

"I don't think I can." She lied. Alex purposely avoided looking at her sister while she spoke. She knows that the sad blue eyes will make her reconsider and she absolutely shouldn't go with the blonde or else her deal with Lena would most likely be off sooner than she could set foot in Lcorp. "I'm sorry."

"It's ok." Kara frowned. She really could've used the support. "I understand."

"I'm really sorry, Kara, I wish I-" Alex sighed. Interrupted by a deep rumble. Her eyes widened and she immediately jumped of the edge of Kara's desk. There was silent pause where Alex was begging in her mind for this not to be what she thought it was. But her begging didn't stop the continuous and deeper rumbles that followed soon after. She cursed and quickly headed to the nearest window.

The view was obscured by the tall buildings surrounding CatCo, but Alex could see the people below running in panic. "This shouldn't be happening so soon!" Was all Kara had heard before Alex had taken off, pressing her hand to her comms and yelling at Brainy on the end of the line.

Kara's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Did Alex somehow know this was happening?

While everyone was panicking and trying to safely leave the building, Kara was still sitting at her desk in confusion. Staring at the wall with a far away look in her eyes as she used her x-rays to look through the concrete to the ground kilometers away.

These people needed help, but Kara didn't think she could be the one to help anymore.

Her throat tightened. Her hands twitched and her eyes cast downward. She couldn't be the hero anymore. Her ears picked up a loud splash accompanied by a crash and that prompted the blonde to jump out of her chair and head over to window to see the source for herself.

A person in black, Kara wasn't present at CatCo for a while, but she knew who it was. It was the new vigilante that Kara had been hearing about. Her heart pounded in her chest. This person ignited a feeling in the blonde that Kara was sure had been long gone.

They were fighting for justice, same as everyone, but they were so wrong in their execution of justice. No one should ever take a life. If killing could be avoided, then that was the route Kara would choose, that was the route Supergirl would choose. She stood for hope, help and compassion for all and this vigilante shows no compassion at all.

Kara wanted to put on her suit and steer them the right way.

But how could she when Supergirl is no longer the protector of this city? She had no say in how justice is delivered when she isn't there. How could she judge this person when she isn't there to help the city at all?

It was an intense internal struggle that Kara had to go through every day. She manages to hold herself back and keep herself away from being the hero her city needed her to be but today, it was the first time where Kara had lost.

An all too familiar voice screamed from a distance. Kara's Kryptonian ears could easily tune out the chaos and focus on her sister's scream of pain. And she couldn't hold herself back anymore.

Kara threw her glasses off her face, throwing the window open and jumping out to speed to her apartment where her suit laid, collecting dust in the back of her closet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What might this threat be?


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy new year, everyone!  
May 2020 be the start of a good year for you :).

In the middle of the city stood Riptide over an unconscious Alex. Her arm stretched above them, holding a wall of ice that was so close to shattering from the force slamming onto it. Lena's teeth gritted as shards of ice erupted from the wall, completely destroying their last line of defense against their foe.

Lena didn't think this would happen so soon. It threw her off when she'd heard the rumbles that were soon accompanied by massive vibrations. Not quite enough to be an earthquake but powerful enough to jolt herself and her surroundings to the ground.

She didn't have enough time to recover from her last fight, but she didn't waste time thinking about her injuries when a being had been sent to destroy the city. She had expected a creature of the sea, powerful enough to show the surface dwellers that Atlantis was not joking around.

But she didn't expect an ancient being such as Rama Khan to be sent here as a measly warning.

Rama Khan was an Atlantean. A very old one that had used to be a joint leader of the land. Lena learned briefly about him from Vulko but the information about him had been classified and Lena didn't get more information other than his affiliation to the land and his connections to the rulers of Atlantis.

He was one of the many protectors of the land, though he had no water-based abilities other than breathing water. His abilities were rock based. He was an earth bender and that's all Lena knew.

Naturally, fighting an opponent that she knew very little about was difficult. His powers were able to stop hers by simply shielding himself of her water attacks. His attacks were brutal. Lena had to step in front of the blow many times to shield any passing civilian and she could feel the strain in her body worsen.

Alex was supposed to lead the civilians away, along with the DEO agents, but they weren't fast enough. Lena had told her to keep everyone out of her way. Including her agents and herself.

The ground was destroyed, and Lena barely had time to sweep all the bodies out of a projectile's way with a water wave. She checked on Alex's pulse and was relieved to see that she was simply unconscious. But Rama Khan was still on the loose and Lena couldn't afford to waste more time. She had to do something.

"This is enough, Rama Khan!" Riptide exclaimed. "You've made yourself clear!"

"No, Princess. They still don't understand." He replied. "But I will make them." He turned to face her. "And you will not stand in my way."

Lena's eyes widened as one of his hands raised in her direction. Her instinct immediately prompted her to raise her arms and get in a defensive pose to block any oncoming attacks But, she didn't anticipate the attack coming from below.

Riptide's entire body spun as her legs were dragged into the ground, the ground swallowing them all the way to her knees. She was immobilized and she couldn't do anything to break herself out. Not without risking shattering her bones, that is.

"Ocean Master sees the incompetence of your progress." Rama Khan advanced on her. "And he had sent me here to… motivate you further."

"I won't fail." Lena growled angrily.

"You haven't yet." He raised his chin and looked down at her. "But you will soon. Because you're weak."

"I will NOT fail." She glared coldly. "I still have time. Do not get involved."

Rama Khan laughed with a scoff. "This is simply to teach you a lesson. Your weakness is not appreciated. Do not waste our time, Princess." His smile turned sinister. "Or else you'll have to be taught how to hate again." Lena's breathing increased. Her body shook as she tried to hold in her rage.

"Do not fail." He finished with a hard look. "You need strengthening because it takes an inner dark to render the useless plan you have a success. You will never get anywhere with the approach you're going for. You need to ignite that same fire that had the trench bow down to your power." He paused. "The surface has weakened you." He spat, his hand twisting tighter as her entire lower body sunk into the ground once more.

Lena looked at him with a heated glare. She hated the way he looks at her. Like she's some sort of child who had no idea of what they're doing or of the consequences. Did he have no idea who he's talking to? She was one of the most powerful beings in Atlantis and she was one of the smartest beings on the planet. Did he think she wouldn't be aware of the outcomes of her plan?

"Come home and let the war begin." He said and Lena's face heated in anger. "You turn a blind eye to the proof of the humans' greed. Why can't you see?" Lena's shoulders hunch as she grips into the ground, tightly clutching at the cracked surface and attempting in vain to pull herself out. "Open your eyes!" He suddenly yells. "See through their lies, won't you open your eyes!" And Lena shouts in pain over his words. "This can all be stopped if you'd only let yourself see." His fist loosens and Lena heaves and shakes.

Her sharp intake of breaths is interrupted by the cracking of the ground that surrounds her hips. She lifts her head and sees a body of red and blue perched right next to hers in the rubble. The impact prompting Rama Khan to jump back and away from the two surface protectors and giving Lena enough time to scramble to her feet.

Supergirl stands before Riptide and faces Rama Khan with her fists ready to throw or block any attacks and Lena's eyes widen. It's been a while since she's been back in the city but there's a reason why she's avoided any encounters with the blonde. She swallowed briefly before turning her gaze back to the earth bender.

Lena sees that he's momentarily stunned, and she doesn't hesitate to attack. Jumping from behind the Kryptonian and clutching her hand in a fist, the energy her suit gathered moving though the woven fabric and bursting out when Lena throws her arm back and snaps it forward to collide with Rama Khan's face that leaves a sickening crack after the impact. The sudden jerk afterwards tells the blonde that the crack came from the vigilante in black's hand rather than their target.

Supergirl joins in with a strike of her own, a fully powered punch to the earth bender's stomach that sends Rama Khan a few feet away but he reacts in time and grabs Riptide's wrist and pulls her with him to deliver a solid kick to the side once he regains his composure. Supergirl moves to fly close but a rock wall blocks emerges from the ground and blocks her path.

Lena's face scrunches in pain but the adrenaline soon overtakes, and she jumps and kicks to twist her wrist out of Rama Khan's grasp. Her right hand closed by her side to overwhelm the throb while her left is charging whatever kinetic energy she had left for an uppercut.

The wall behind them explodes and Lena ducks just in time as Supergirl flew over her in impressive speed and collided with the earth bender's body but her fist cut through the air instead of slamming into his face. Lena watched as Rama Khan's body sunk into the ground and disappeared from their view and her eyes looked around frantically.

Supergirl used her x-ray vision to look below the ground but found nothing. Her guard lowered and she turned her attention to the alert vigilante to her side. "He's gone." She said and Lena tensed even more.

"No, he's not." Riptide replied. A low and a distorted voice coming from the vigilante that had the Kryptonian frown. Her x-ray vision focused on the unfamiliar mask and she frowned even further at the distorted blur she saw. "You should focus on finding him instead of lowering your guard and trying to figure out my identity."

Blue eyes narrowed in suspicion. This person knew how to keep their identity from a Kryptonian it seems. A voice distorter, lead lined mask and suit, heart muffler and they were wearing padding to keep their physique from being recognized. "Who are you?"

Lena's eyes drifted briefly to the blonde in annoyance. "Not everyone would like to share their identity with the world, Supergirl. And I do not owe mine to you." They were losing focus. Rama Khan was still around; Lena could feel him nearby.

"I just find it odd that someone would take such measures to protect their identity." Supergirl replied with a disapproving look. "All measures against a Kryptonian."

"Yes." Lena replied and paused. She didn't need to explain herself to the blonde, and especially not to an absent hero. Yet she couldn't seem to ignore the words.

"Why?"

Golden eyes narrowed behind the mask. Because she didn't trust nor associate herself to self-righteous heroes who were dissatisfied with anyone who wouldn't uphold the same moralities that they had. Lena was about to speak those words, spit them into the Super's face and walk away to find and confront Rama Khan alone but his voice cut through their conversation.

Both girls turned to see him standing above a building nearby with his staff at this side and an expression of disapproval on his face. "You allow their views to control you," He began with a steady voice. "You let your personal feelings get in the way of your mission." His lips curled in disgust. "You let them hold you back. For what? Their approval? They'll never accept you as a hero. They do not want the likes of us amongst them and you do not want to listen."

Lena's lips purse firmly. Her eyebrows starting to furrow in anger once again.

"I can do it alone." Lena states firmly.

"Very well." He says after a pause. "We shall see what happens to the surface when the year is over. I imagine you would not be pleased."

He jumps off the ledge and Lena watches as he disappears into the ground, not once lifting her eyes from his figure, blood was still rushing to her ears and she could feel her heart's rapid beating in her chest and through her body.

The pause that the two were stuck in was interrupted by a weak cough and they were reminded that Alex was still close. Left unconscious where Riptide and Supergirl had ran off to attack Rama Khan. In an instant, Supergirl was by the Director's side and Lena simply turned around to look. She had made sure to shield Alex's body from any nearby projectile before she had ran off but that shield was now destroyed.

Lena looked at the pair quietly, a somber expression on her face, hidden from any onlookers. Supergirl was looking for any serious injuries in her sister's body, frantically using her x-rays to look for broken bones despite being told that there was no need to and reminding Lena of the rapidly intensifying pain in her own body.

Her right hand was now throbbing, and Lena could no longer move her fingers. Her hand stuck in a half-closed fist that she couldn't open or close and she dreaded going home and showing Tess, the girl would have a fit. Especially now that the blonde is the one who's constantly patching Lena up after any particularly nasty fights, it's not like Lena could go to a hospital and get her wounds treated, even if her presence was now public and she did own a hospital.

Aside from her now limp and useless hand, Lena's side was causing her upper body to ache all over, so bad that Lena wishes she could just drench herself in a bathtub and use all of the power she has to make it stop. It's warm, she's not sure if it's because of the high her body was still in or if it had started bleeding.

Lena sighed. Alex was fine, Supergirl was here and so Lena had no reason to stay. Though she was concerned about what this situation would do to the city. Lena knew that Kara had come only for her sister, not because there was a huge probability that the city was destroyed. Would Kara's actions raise false hope for the citizens now? Would she go back to hiding or resume her hero duties now that she had put the cape back on? Lena's efforts would all go to waste if National City had regained their hero in the middle of her quest.

The area was, thankfully, completely evacuated. There was no one around, none that Lena could sense anyway, so she supposed it was time for her to go.

"Wait." Supergirl spoke. She was on her knees, supporting her sister's body with her arms. Alex was fine, a bit shaky and unfocused but she'll be alright once she gets her to the DEO's med bay. Kara's concerns were appeased but she still had many things on her mind, things she thinks she should do as well as things she wanted to say. Mainly to the vigilante that was standing not too far away.

Riptide had protected her sister and the city when they had stated that they were not to be a protector of the city clear. They made it obvious to everyone that they were here for a single reason and dealing with any of the city's problems was not it. So, Kara may have jumped to conclusions about them, though she still didn't approve of the killing method, but she couldn't deny that they were doing a good job in her absence.

"I think we got off the wrong foot." Kara said, making sure her sister is sitting upright before standing up and approaching the leaving vigilante. "How about we try this again? I'm Supergirl."

Lena's back was to the Kryptonian, pausing to listen to what the hero had to say. She scoffed. "I know who you are."

Supergirl visibly faltered at the words. She expected a little attitude but she sort of hoped they would want a fresh start as well. "Well, I just wanted to thank you for saving the city when it was in need and no one was around to help."

Riptide chuckled humorlessly and turned around. "You mean when you and your cousin weren't around?" She questioned. It wasn't such big news in National City since their hero's disappearance was more important to them than Metropolis', but the man of steel had also taken a leave of absence for a while. For nine months to be exact. Lena didn't need to speculate to know that Superman had left earth to have a child with Lois Lane. "Don't waste my time with fake intentions, Supergirl. You can go back to hide or whatever it is that you've been doing for the last couple of years."

Lena's eyes watched Supergirl's eyes widen slightly before her eyebrows furrowed. In anger? Defensively perhaps? Her chest puffed and her lips pursed as well so Lena was sure the hero hadn't appreciated her words. But why should she care? To the Kryptonian, she was as clueless as anyone and she didn't have to take her situation in consideration, not when she knew the blonde to be a liar regardless.

"You should leave now, before anyone catches sight of you, and you raise their hopes only to crush them when you abandon the city once more." Lena spoke harshly. She should've walked away without a word, shouldn't have stretched this one-sided reunion more than it needed because she knew that she wouldn't be able to hold back the words that constantly swam in the back of her head.

Alex's eyes were fixated on her as well, Lena could feel her disapproval, but Lena paid her no mind. She was firmly keeping her eyes on the blonde before her. There was so much she wanted to say to her, but Lena knew this was not the right time or place. She can't let her own personal feelings ruin what she's worked so hard for, not even if every voice in her mind told her to say something, to scream, to yell and to perhaps cry.

In the end, Lena simply stared the Kryptonian down, waiting for anything to be said but nothing came so she simply scoffed and turned around to leave once more. "Go back and do what you always do…, Kara."

Lena's hear skipped a beat; she shouldn't have said that. She started walking away only to be stopped once again.

"How do you know my name?" Kara said in disbelief. Her mouth open in shock and her hands clenching into fists by her side. Lena could hear Alex clambering to her feet and saying something in a hurry, but she was ignored as the blonde walked past her to catch up to the vigilante. "How do you know?!" She raised her voice.

Lena didn't reply and stayed silent. She was afraid of saying something and compromising everything by spilling everything that weighed on her heart for so long. She simply took a deep breath and told herself to leave. "Who are you?!" Kara yelled behind her. Marching up to the Atlantean to grasp her shoulder.

Lena slapped the hand away just as it touched her and still kept silent which only served to infuriate the Kryptonian even more. Alex was trying to reason with the blonde, asking her to drop this so they can go back to the DEO, but Kara wasn't listening. Lena had never been on the receiving end when Supergirl's eyes heated with laser vision, but she cursed at herself in her mind, why couldn't she just keep her mouth shut?!

The lasers never left Kara's eyes, but her hand shot up to try and forcibly remove the mask herself and Lena reacted just in time by pooling water around their feet, raising her arms and engulfing them in ice. Kara's fingers were inches away from the tip of her nose and their eyes met. Kara couldn't see anything other than a glowing pupil behind the mask but it's enough to stare daggers into.

Alex gasp was heard somewhere around them but both girls were too busy in their own frozen staring match before it was cut off by Lena blowing air out her nose and slowing thawing the ice around herself. Giving her enough time and space to move around the Kryptonian while keeping her in place.

Kara's eyes trailed behind Riptide and her mouth clenched as air was starting to become a problem. Riptide stared her in the eye one last time before their own hands thrusted at her body in incredible speed. Jabbing their fingers into specific areas and making her lose all control and feeling in her body.

Once Supergirl was completely immobilized, Lena thawed the entire block on ice she had incased them in and watched as the girl of steel fell face first and started coughing violently to get rid of any water in her lungs. She stepped back when Alex pushed her away to check on her sister before turning back to Lena with a silent glare.

"What did you do?!" Alex growled.

"She'll be fine to move in a couple of hours." Lena stated.

Alex moved her attention back to the immobilized blonde, a clear indication to Lena that she should leave now or else she'll have to arrest her. And it just became clear to Lena that they weren't as alone as she thought they were. The area was completely evacuated of any humans, sure. But that did not mean that humans weren't watching.

She started to walk away briskly, very aware of the drones hovering not too far up in the air. She had no doubt that the whole debacle would be live on tv right this instant and she was suddenly reminded of Orm's words again. Perhaps there is some truth to them after all.

When Lena was a good distance away from the Danvers sisters, she began to slow down. The block was entirely destroyed and some of the buildings collapsed but otherwise there wasn't much damage. Lena looked around for the best route to Lcorp, unaware of a figure heading her way rapidly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> who might that be? Again lmao


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, I was gone for two weeks, I had really important college stuff to deal with. Which was a shame since this is the part I'm most excited about in this entire story. This and the ending. But now I'm back, hopefully I'll get to go back to the weekly updates. Enjoy!

Alex didn't know what to do with the seething and immobilized blonde at her feet. She had turned her over to lay on her back, tried to prop her up into a sitting position but to no avail. Kara would just tip over or deflate into the ground like a rag doll.

She waits impatiently for the DEO squad to arrive and help Supergirl into the medic van to be transferred to the med bay, but they were taking too long to get here. The destruction around surely slowing them down but she wouldn't be able to move Kara by herself to meet them halfway.

When Lena left, Alex pretended not to see, her job was still to detain the vigilante and bring them in to be locked up and questioned but she couldn't do that. Not when she knew who was behind the mask. She kept her eyes at the retreating form as Lena walked away and tried to guide her eyes away from the sight. Lena was limping, clutching a hand to her chest and clearly forcing herself to move.

Alex's attention was pulled from Lena and to the side where a loud thud accompanied by the slight cracking of ground occurred. Another hero in blue and red walked determinedly to the two sisters and Alex's eyebrows raised in shock. It wasn't often that Metropolis' champion visited National City.

Superman quickly kneeled next to his cousin and Alex saw the frown on his face deepen. She was about to ask why he had come here but he spoke before she could. "I saw what happened on the news."

"The situation is under control, Superman." Alex said. Her heart sped up at the look on his face. She knew that he had come because his cousin's situation might've been greatly exaggerated on the news. Kara's inability to move might have led some news outlets to come up with fabricated scenarios that got Clark to worry. "Supergirl is fine."

"You let that vigilante go." He stated disapprovingly. His eyes boring into hers and Alex briefly didn't know what to say. "Why?" Clark questioned after he deemed his cousin's condition stable.

"They got away." She found her voice. "Supergirl's safety is more important than running after them."

"You chose to let them go." He stood.

"They're injured." Alex glared. "We won't have a problem finding them if we wanted. Supergirl is our main priority right now."

"They're still here." His head snapped to the direction where Lena had barely turned a corner before disappearing and Alex's heart dropped. He started advancing in her direction.

"Superman, no." Alex grabbed his arm. Two pairs of blue eyes seized her, and Alex swallowed before clearing her throat. "Just help me get your cousin to the DEO." She watched Clark's eyes narrow in suspicion before he pulled his arm back and ignored her words. His eyes staring at a building right ahead and finding a blurry figure leaning on a wall. "Kal, no-" Alex started but he had already taken off. Flying at top speed in Lena's direction. "Lena, be careful." She whispered in worry.

The area was clear, and Lena was almost to Lcorp's building. Normally she would go home taking a detour, never go close to Lcorp to avoid suspicion but right now, Lena didn't have time to worry about who might see. She needed to get there as soon as possible.

In her haste to move as quickly as possible, Lena didn't pick up the sound of a fast-moving object, or rather person, increasing behind her. Lena barely turned around before a super powered fist instantly collided with her stomach. Sending her barreling towards and through a brick wall.

The wind knocked out of her lungs and her vision gone black, Lena laid beneath the rubble in an almost paralyzed like state, struggling to breath and her limbs refusing to move and relief her muscles from the boulders weighing down on them. The sound of boots approaching seemed to snap something inside of Lena's mind and her body seized before the world seemed to pause around her. Superman frozen mid walk in front of her while she barely sees a bright golden silhouette rise from her own body.

She sees the silhouette raging and throwing a fist at what Lena could only think was an invisible wall. Lena's body trembled at the contact and a pinch of pain shot through her chest at the second punch colliding with whatever energy barrier the silhouette was attacking.

An enraged version of Lena was frantically and wrathfully delivering blow after blow at an energy barrier, separating them from the world, only able to exist in Lena's mind. Lena recognized this silhouette as the entity she met a long time ago. Back when she was learning to control her powers without fear of losing control. She and this entity managed to live together as one for so long. Lena knew that the control she held on her powers came from her bond to it and if they were to be separated, Lena was sure to lose control.

It was now slamming into the energy wall with it's shoulder and Lena could see cracks starting to form as her breath got caught in her throat. She was suffocating and a pained gasp escaped her as the entity broke away from Lena's body, leaving her in their place and taking control of her body. Lena's eyes rolled back into her head, feeling her arm move through the rocks and grabbing hold of a thick neck before her vision was enclosed in darkness.

Superman stood before the pile of broken concrete and looked beneath with his x-ray vision. Reaching down to grab the vigilante, a hand suddenly shot out and grabbed him tightly by the neck. The hint of a dark mask, now ripped and torn, peaking through along with the rest of the vigilante's upper body. Golden eyes were fixated in a furious glare and the torn fabric revealed a snarling mouth, painfully gritting their teeth with heaving breaths.

Clark reached to grab the wrist clutched beneath his neck, but the vigilante suddenly sprung from the rubble and stood above the rocks, levelling with Clark's face and tightening their hold on his neck.

His face twisted in shock and his hand raised to punch Lena in the face, but her neck twisted to the side, and her eyes widened forcing his hand to stop mere centimeters away from her cheek. Clark's eyes filled with fear and horror as his hand suddenly moved, forcing his entire arm to jolt away from Lena and twist into a position that he feared might break it.

A wave of water pushed him upward and slammed him into the ground while another carried Lena above it and moved her closer to him. Her fist moved to collide with his face and Clark was helpless to stop it. He couldn't move at all. He could only just lay there and take whatever attack the vigilante was going to throw at him.

Lena's hand raised and a giant ice boulder floated above Superman's immobilized body, the arm waved down and the ice followed the command to slam into the Kryptonian and drop on him. The ice shattered and the Kryptonian's body rose from beneath the shards like a puppet on a string. Superman gritted his teeth and glared at the Atlantean with eyes heated with lasers. Lena twisted his neck away from her direction, effectively evading the lasers.

The DEO had just arrived at the scene and Supergirl was thankfully carried to the van and on her way to the headquarters where she should be treated. Alex had run into the direction of the confrontation and froze in her place at the scene.

Superman was now on his knees, his face scrunched in pain as he received blow after blow from the Atlantean before him. "Clark!" Alex gasped. And the distraction was enough for the Kryptonian to break free from Lena's hold. Using his super speed and ramming her into a wall. Clark grabbed Lena by the throat and delivered two punches to her gut before she pulled his feet from under him with a water whip.

Alex couldn't comprehend the fight she was witnessing; Lena was somehow holding her own against a Kryptonian. The director knew that any fully powered punch could actually kill her if she wasn't careful enough. The ear communication piece in her ear came to life with a familiar voice calling to her in a hurry. "Danvers here." She replied tensely, her eyes never leaving the fighting pair before her.

"Danvers, It's Tess." The voice replied, causing Alex's eyes to widen in shock. "Listen, you need to get Superman away from Lena. Right now." She ordered.

"You hacked into the DEO's communication channel?!" Alex asked loudly.

"Yes. Now shut up and do what I tell you to do." Tess said in annoyance. "Lena's lost control, she can't see anyone, she can't hear anyone, and she can't be communicated with in this state." Tess said quickly. "Find a way to get Superman out of there and DO NOT attempt to get close to her." She stressed. "Do you understand?"

"How do I get him away without interfering?!" Alex asked in panic.

"Call him to you but make sure Lena can't see you." Tess replied. "She's unable to differentiate who's a threat and who's not and she WILL attack you on sight."

Alex looked around frantically, desperately searching for something that might aid her, but everything's destroyed or falling apart. She anxiously ran a hand through her hair as her gaze turned back to the two who were still fighting viciously in the middle of the area. Superman had somehow managed to break free of Lena's blood bending and was now delivering powerful strikes to a water shield that Lena had surrounded herself in. Water was springing from the surface of the water bubble around Lena and pushing Superman back. Alex's heart sped, she didn't know what to do, they were going to keep fighting till one of them fell.

The director pulled her hand away from her head shakily, only for a strand of hair to get caught in her wristwatch. Alex's eyes widened and she hurriedly opened the lid of the watch revealing a house of El shaped button. Only a Kryptonian would be able to hear the signal. She pressed and hid behind the wall of a building.

The distress signal made Clark look away from his target for a split second and Lena didn't hesitate to break her shield in that moment to wrap its entirety around Superman and freeze it around him. The ice didn't last long against Superman, he managed to use his lasers to thaw it before Lena could throw any attack his way, but she was already waiting for him to break out. Lena was now standing on a water pillar, waiting with ice encased boulders from the remains.

Superman flew away and to the source of the distress, barely evading any projectile heading his way.

"Alex, what's wrong?" He asked once he saw her.

"You need to get away from the vigilante." She said, her eyes faltering to the side where a stream of water slowly moved across the floor around the corner. "Disengage and get away."

"I can't do that." He replied quickly. "We need to- " His words were cut off with him being dragged across the floor back to where Lena stood seething and angrily looking around. Alex was about to run behind him but a shrill 'no' came through her communication device.

"I have to go after him!" Alex yelled.

"No!" Tess yelled back. "I already called for help; you should just stay away until it gets here."

"What do you mean you've called for help? Who did you call?!" Alex leaned on the wall and tried to peak around the corner. Tess didn't reply but Alex could hear shuffling on her end of the call.

Lena laid on the ground in the midst of the fight, her mind foggy and her body numb, she couldn't feel anything other than a cool sensation washing over her. There were muffled sounds around her, loud and booming but Lena couldn't understand where they came from. The sky was dark above her and droplets of water fell on her face. Was it raining? It didn't feel like rain, the water fell over her from various angles and Lena feels cold as they pass right through her body.

Right through her body? Lena manages to lift a hand up and move her head to look at it. Her hand is clear and see through with a golden tint. Lena's eyebrows furrow in confusion. It's too painful to sit or move to her side so she moves her head to look to the side. A fight was ongoing between the man of steel and… herself? Lena watches with a startled look and a slightly open mouth. Shallow breaths escape her, her throat and neck hurt, and her head moves to lay back on the ground. She closes her eyes and swallows thickly.

She hears collisions but she doesn't see them, doesn't feel them. All she feels is tired and weak and its growing by the second.

Alex holds out for a maximum of ten minutes before she couldn't take standing by anymore, she had to help Clark or else one of the two will surely die. She sees the condition of the two and she instantly feels regretful that she allowed this to continue without intervention. Clark was bleeding through his nose, his face and hands held bruises that chilled Alex to the core. He was supposed to be the invincible one, he was the man of steel! His cape was torn from his suit and Alex could see it stuck beneath a fallen pillar.

Lena was the worst of the two, to no surprise. Her mask was simply a rag at this point, threads and tears exposing her face and hair beneath it. Her hands were uncovered, gloves no longer on them and covered in blood, cuts and bruises. Her suit was mostly fine, but Alex could see that the faint green glow that it held was barely there. Lena had nothing more than her own body and powers to help her through this. Her suit could no longer absorb whatever impact landed on her body.

"Go to the waterfront." Tess stopped Alex in her tracks. "Bring Vulko and Arthur to Lena and they'll be able to stop her." Alex's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. How did Tess manage to get a hold of Aquaman? As Tess said, the two Atlanteans were indeed at the waterfront, Alex sees them leaving an Atlantean vehicle and catches Arthur's eyes, solemnly nodding her head in the direction of the fight.

"What happened?" Arthur's voice is deep and quiet, he looks tired and exhausted.

"I honestly don't know. I've never seen her like this before." Alex replies as they walk back. "Not even when she had to confront Lex." She wonders if this is anything like what happened with Lex before. Alex had a sneaking suspicion that Lena might've actually killed him, seeing as he never came back to the beach with them and since he was never seen after, but Alex was too distracted to notice what happened. Kara was injured and in need of help and trying to catch a glimpse would be useless anyway because of the thick fog that surrounded the two Luthors.

Lex Luthor was a very well-known criminal and his disappearance didn't go unnoticed but there was nothing Alex could do since Lex wasn't an alien, therefore not the DEO's responsibility and there was no proof against Lena to prompt an investigation either. Alex thought it was best not to bring it up with Lena.

"It's happened before." Arthur frowned deeply. "More than once."

"Can you stop her?" Alex questions as they stand where she hid before. "She's… not herself anymore."

"We can." Vulko nods. "But it'll be very hard… and painful for her." He says. "She might not recover very well."

"What will happen to her?" Alex asks anxiously.

The two men look at each other briefly before turning back to the director. "Depends on how her mental condition is." And Alex grimaces. She leads them to the still ongoing battle and Vulko exhales and shakes his head. "This is bad."

"Really bad." Arthur nods. "Superman might be one of the most powerful beings on earth but Lena's not to be messed with like this. She could very well kill him." Arthur sees Alex's breath gets caught in her throat and the expression that overtakes her features and turns to walk closer. "I'll have to go and join their battle, take Superman away and hopefully by then, Vulko will have dealt with Lena."

"What will you do to her?" Alex demands.

"Lena's spirit has left her body, in order to stop her, we must force her back into it." Vulko said. "It'll be very difficult though, the more hostile the body is, the weaker her spirit becomes. Forcing them back together will have a serious impact on Lena's mind, she might not even survive the merge."

"Isn't there a different way?" Alex asks desperately.

"There is one but it's much difficult than the previous one." Vulko says. "Though it's safer for Lena to endure."

"What is it?!"

"You have to get Lena to go back to her body on her own." Vulko looks back at the Luthor. "Though I can tell you right now that the entity who lives within Lena has no plans of backing down. Alex swallows, having Kara's ability to give great pep talks would be very useful right now. Or maybe having Kara here will be more useful than anything Alex could do. "If you feel like you'd be able to get through to her, we can hold her back for you." Vulko says.

Alex looks down and shamefully shakes her head. "I can't." She whispers. "I can't do it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Lena lol  
Tell me what you think so far!

**Author's Note:**

> I spent an entire day writing this, tell me what you think?  
I gave you guys some insight on how Lena lived in Atlantis before she knew she had to go back to the surface eventually, there's been the Karathen and Orm planning stuff. I left the rest out because I planned to explain them as flashbacks later rather than put it all in one chapter.
> 
> Tell me what's your favourite scene from this chapter and what you think and I'll see you in the next one!
> 
> Tumblr @fandomdojo


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